$206 Million Available to Help Low Income PECO Customers Pay Electric and Natural Gas Bills

More than $206 million is now available through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help PECO customers pay their electric or natural gas bill. Customers should apply now to keep the heat on and stay safe and warm this winter.

Apply immediately by calling 1-800-34-HELP-4, visiting peco.com/help or by visiting PECO's District Office at 2301 Market Street in Philadelphia. Last year, more than 50,000 PECO customers received $15.5 million in LIHEAP grants.

LIHEAP is a federal program that provides assistance to individuals who are having trouble paying their heating bills. Homeowners, renters and subsidized housing tenants may be eligible for cash grants up to $1,000 per customer. The maximum crisis grant, which can be used to restore service, is $500 per customer. Grants are based on household size and income, type of fuel used and county of residence, and are paid directly to a vendor such as a utility like PECO.

A family of four with an annual household income of $36,375 can qualify for help. To be eligible, annual household income cannot exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines or:

• $17,655 one-person household
• $23,895 two-person household
• $30,135 three-person household
• $36,375 four-person household

For larger households, the guidelines increase by $6,240 for each additional person.

PECO manages the largest and most comprehensive set of low-income programs in the state. In addition to LIHEAP, PECO has many other programs to help customers manage their energy costs and save money. Other assistance programs include:

• The Customer Assistance Program (CAP): A discounted rate for low-income customers.
• The Matching Energy Assistance Fund (MEAF): A program funded by voluntary contributions of citizens and matched dollar for dollar by PECO for up to $1,000 in total assistance for those who qualify.
• Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP): A program that provides year-round conservation and weatherization assistance for qualified households.
• Customer Assistance and Referral Evaluation Services (CARES): A referral and information service designed to assist customers who have temporary personal or financial hardships that prevent the payment of their utility bill.

PECO customers who are not eligible for low- and fixed-income assistance but are having trouble managing their energy costs also should consider taking advantage of other programs, including budget billing. Budget billing makes short-term fluctuations in monthly bills much easier to handle by dividing annual energy costs evenly throughout the year.

All customers also can save money on their monthly energy bills by using energy as efficiently as possible. To find low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy and money, visit peco.com/smartideas.

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). The company’s 2,400 dedicated employees provide advanced, innovative energy solutions to 1.6 million electric and more than 506,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2014 PECO delivered 89.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 37.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and had an estimated economic impact of $4.5 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 9,600 local jobs and producing $760 million in labor income. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations. For more information visit peco.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.

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