Struggling with Your NOVEC Electric Bill? Here's What's Available.
If your NOVEC bill has gotten away from you, the cooperative's structure as a member-owned nonprofit makes a real difference in how it handles hardship — it runs programs, that the guide below will help you navigate, that investor-owned utilities typically don't, and it actively encourages customers to reach out before a situation reaches shutoff.
Talk to NOVEC Before Things Escalate
The most effective first step when you're behind is calling NOVEC's Customer Care Center to discuss payment arrangements. Once a disconnect happens, you're also dealing with reconnection fees and potentially a deposit requirement — costs that don't exist if a workable plan gets put in place first.
The Customer Care Center is open Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at 703-335-0500. You can also email [email protected]. If someone in your household depends on electrically-powered medical equipment, mention it specifically — NOVEC has a Serious Medical Condition designation that may affect how past-due accounts are handled, and it requires documentation from a medical provider.
Operation Round Up — Emergency Assistance for Customers Who Need Help
Operation Round Up is NOVEC's community-funded emergency energy assistance program, built on a simple premise: participating customers authorize NOVEC to round their monthly bill up to the next dollar, and every cent of that collected difference goes into an assistance fund — NOVEC absorbs the administrative costs entirely. While the numbers change in each year, generally more than 20,000 members participate, generating meaningful relief that reaches neighbors facing shutoff.
The funds aren't distributed by NOVEC directly. They flow through a group of local nonprofit partners that assess eligibility and issue grants to qualifying households. The partner organizations are ACTS (Action in Community Through Service) in Prince William County, Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS), Western Fairfax Christian Ministries in Fairfax County, the Salvation Army's Loudoun Corps, and Fauquier FISH in Fauquier County.
Because contact information and partner arrangements can change, the most reliable place to find current intake details is https://www.novec.com/Customer_Services/Emergency-Energy-Assistance-Numbers.cfm, where NOVEC maintains an updated list. Most recipients are low-income households, including families with seniors, who are at risk of disconnection. There is no fixed application season for ORU — distributions depend on available funds — so contacting a partner agency sooner rather than later is advisable.
Budget Billing
If unpredictable seasonal swings are the problem rather than a chronic shortfall, NOVEC's Budget Billing program levels out your monthly payments by averaging your expected annual usage and charging a consistent amount each month. It doesn't reduce what you owe over time, but it prevents a single cold-weather bill from causing a crisis. Details and enrollment are available at novec.com or through the Customer Care Center.
EAP / LIHEAP and Weatherization
Virginia's federally-funded Energy Assistance Program (EAP) — the state's version of LIHEAP — is the main government resource for NOVEC customers who can't afford their electric bills, covering heating grants, crisis intervention for imminent shutoffs, and cooling assistance in summer. Free weatherization improvements are also available for qualifying households through a separate but related program. Both have specific application windows and income requirements. Full details on eligibility, how to apply, and what each component covers are on the Virginia LIHEAP and Weatherization page.
A Note on Impersonation Scams
People who are behind on their electric bill are specifically targeted by scammers — because the fear of losing power makes unusual demands feel plausible. NOVEC has documented repeated cases of callers impersonating the cooperative and demanding immediate payment by prepaid debit card, often with NOVEC's actual phone number appearing on caller ID through spoofing technology. That pairing — urgent shutoff threat plus a demand for prepaid cards — is the signature of a scam every time. Hang up and call NOVEC directly at 703-335-0500 to check your actual account status.
This page provides general educational information about assistance programs available to NOVEC customers. It is not legal or financial advice. Program rules, benefit amounts, and partner agency availability change regularly. Verify current details directly with NOVEC or the relevant assistance organization before acting on anything you read here.
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