Dec 5, 2022 | Bill Help
Colder winter temperatures can mean more energy use and higher bills. We’re here to help. If you’re struggling with your electric bills, you have options that can ease the burden:
- OnTrack: If you’re eligible, this PPL Electric program can help with lower, fixed monthly payments and debt forgiveness.
- LIHEAP: A federal program, LIHEAP offers grants to help offset your energy bills or pay off past-due balances.
- ERAP: Since 2020, our customers have received more than $10 million in assistance from this federal program. If you rent your home and your income was impacted by the pandemic, ERAP may be able to help.
- Operation HELP: This PPL Electric fund, supported by customers and employees, provides free grants to eligible customers.
- WRAP: Energy efficiency can help you save money. If you’re eligible for WRAP, you can receive free energy efficiency products and services.
To learn more about all the ways we can help this winter – and for energy efficiency tools, tips, and programs – visit pplelectric.com/highbill today.
Nov 28, 2022 | Community Involvement
At PPL Electric Utilities, we power 29 counties in Pennsylvania. This isn’t just our service territory, it’s our home. It’s where we live and work. It’s where our children go to school. We’re all neighbors.
That’s why we’re proud of the support we’ve provided to our communities this year – and our commitment to continuing these efforts for years to come. Here are just a few examples of the ways we’ve brightened lives in 2022.
Volunteerism
Throughout the year, our employees give their time and talent to support organizations they’re passionate about, including volunteering on 100+ nonprofit boards. Additionally, in 2022, there were several organized efforts during which our employees and their families could support our communities.
In April, more than 150 employees planted trees, created trails and more during Earth Appreciation Month. Organizations and locations we supported included Wayne Grube Memorial Park, Hays Elementary, Lehigh Valley Zoo, Pool Wildlife Sanctuary, Northcentral PA Conservancy, Louise Moore Park and more.
This fall, over 200 employees and their families participated in United Way Day of Caring events serving nonprofit organizations in the Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, and Benton. Participants helped complete projects at the Sixth Street Shelter, Camel’s Hump Farm, Lehigh County Humane Society, Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center, and other locations.
Supporting STEM education
One initiative about which we are particularly passionate is supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. From the Mifflinburg Science Festival in Union County to the Summer Reading Program at the Whitehall Township Public Library in Lehigh County, and communities in between, we’ve helped offer students many new opportunities to flex their brains in 2022. Find out more about our support of STEM education programs.
We know that it’s more important than ever to engage students in STEM disciplines from an early age, and that’s one of the reasons we continue to support efforts like the PPL Foundation’s Cover to Cover program and Empowering Educators grants, which support and encourage teachers to provide hands-on STEM learning experiences. Learn more about the 2022 Empowering Educators grant recipients.
Keeping communities safe
We take our commitment to electrical safety seriously. In 2022 alone, our Live Line Electrical Safety Exhibit, which demonstrates the dangers associated with electrical lines, reached 9,500 first responders and others. The exhibit has reached over 57,000 since its creation in 2016.
This year, more than 10,000 students in 60+ schools learned about electrical safety from “Captain Wattage” during a show we developed in partnership with The National Theatre for Children. That show has reached over 125,000 kids since 2015 via livestream and in-person performances.
We also distributed thousands of free books on electrical safety for students, a program that has impacted more than 43,000 kids since its start in 2018.
Lending a helping hand
With prices rising in industries across the board, some customers are having trouble keeping up with their bills. That’s why we’ve supported customers with payment assistance and other programs, and provided tips and tools to help you use less energy. Check out our new 360 interactive tool to find the savings hiding in your home.
Going green
Protecting the environment is another critical part of our community commitment. We want to keep our winged neighbors safe and thriving, all while protecting the natural beauty of Pennsylvania. We’ve built nesting platforms to protect birds of prey, and we consider the environmental impact of everything we do.
Since our Community Roots program started in 2017, we have given away over 127,000 trees and pollinator plants to help stabilize streambanks, beautify neighborhoods and provide important habitat for birds, bees and butterflies. Over the past year, we’ve connected with thousands of people at dozens of Community Roots events at fairs, concerts, festivals, schools, land conservancies, and conservation organizations in places like Allentown, Bloomsburg, Catawissa, Honesdale, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport, to name a few.
As we look ahead to 2023, we look forward to continuing to serve and support the communities we all call home. Stay tuned to the community involvement category on this blog and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with our community efforts throughout the year.
Sep 22, 2022 | Community Involvement
Sometimes, we all need a little helping hand. That’s why we’re proud of our Operation HELP program.
For almost four decades, our Operation HELP program has helped more than 110,000 families struggling with their electric bills. The program, which provides grants to eligible families, is funded by generous contributions from our customers, employees and vendors.
On September 15, 2022, we hosted the 28th annual Operation HELP golf tournament at Olde Homestead Golf Club in New Tripoli and raised an additional $129,000 to support our customers. While Operation HELP, which was established in 1983, is primarily supported by donations from PPL Electric Utilities, its employees and customers, the annual golf tournament has become its largest fundraising event.
In addition to Operation HELP, we offer multiple bill assistance programs for eligible customers. These programs include: the OnTrack payment plan, budget billing, payment arrangements and even flexibility in choosing a bill due date. To find out more about how we can assist you with your bills, visit pplelectric.com/billhelp.
“We’re happy to host this annual event and raise funds for Operation HELP,” said Jaclyn Baldwin, regulatory programs manager. “This program is just one of the many ways we continue to assist our customers in their times of need. Operation HELP — along with other programs — help those who are behind on their energy bill and provide them with ways to catch up.”
Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2022 golf tournament, and all who contribute to this vital program.
Winter is on its way. If your family can use a little helping hand, visit pplelectric.com/billhelp to learn more about Operation HELP and all of our payment assistance programs and plans.
Mar 29, 2022 | Bill Help
With an updated design and intuitive navigation, our website makes it easier than ever to handle everyday transactions:
If you’re struggling to pay your bill, or even facing a shut-off, sign into your account at pplelectric.com, and click “Get Help Paying.” We’ll ask you a few questions about your household and refer you to the programs that will benefit your family most.
Programs for income-eligible customers include LIHEAP, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is accepting applications for up to $2,700 through May 6, or OnTrack, which offers lower, fixed monthly payments and debt forgiveness.
Regardless of income, all customers are eligible for budget billing and payment agreement options, which are also available on our website. If you’re interested in saving, check out more ways to save by shopping for an electricity supplier, and participating in energy efficiency programs.
Don’t have an online account? Don’t wait another day to start enjoying the benefits, like making secure payments 24/7 without wasting money on checks and postage. Register for a new web profile and sign up for paperless billing in minutes.
We value your time, so we’ve made it quick and easy to get the assistance you need 24/7 at pplelectric.com without ever having to pick up the phone.
Mar 28, 2022 | Bill Help
If you’re falling behind on your electric bill, you may qualify for up to $2,700 in free money from the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP. But you have to act fast. LIHEAP applications must be submitted by June 17.
LIHEAP is available to both homeowners and renters, and you don’t need a past-due balance to apply. Grants can help offset the cost of winter heating bills or prevent a shut-off.
Check out the income guidelines at pplelectric.com/liheap, see if you qualify, and apply today.
If you’re not eligible for LIHEAP, don’t worry. We offer payment agreements and programs, like budget billing, to all customers, regardless of your income.
To get started, sign into your online profile at pplelectric.com or set up a new profile in three easy steps. Then, click “Get Help Paying” from your Account Summary page. We’ll ask you a few questions about your household and financial information and recommend the programs that will benefit your family most.
