If you need help paying your PECO heating bills, you may qualify for a federal LIHEAP grant – that doesn’t have to be repaid. 

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal grant, available annually, that provides cash and crisis assistance directly to your PECO account. A portion of LIHEAP grant assistance is set aside for emergencies that include reinstating service that has been shut-off for non-payment, making fuel payments, and repairing leaking pipes and broken furnaces. 

If you are having trouble paying your PECO bill, here are five things you should know about LIHEAP:

• Grants are available to help homeowners, renters, roomers, and subsidized housing tenants who are at or below 150% of the federal poverty income guidelines and demonstrate a burden in their ability to pay their heating bills. 
• LIHEAP cash grants can provide $300 to $1,000 to help with a heating bill. These grants do not require a past due balance – the only requirement is income eligibility.
• LIHEAP crisis grants can provide $25 to $1,000 for households experiencing a heating crisis to apply toward a past-due balance to avoid termination of service. Eligibility is determined by both income and an account status of terminated or termination-eligible.
• Customers who qualify can get both a LIHEAP cash and LIHEAP crisis grant for a maximum LIHEAP benefit of $2,000 per customer.
• This season, the program will run from November 1, 2022, to April 28, 2023. If you applied previously, you still need to apply using the current LIHEAP application, available here: PECO.com/LIHEAP.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has mailed a LIHEAP application to all 2021-2022 LIHEAP recipients. PECO will mail a LIHEAP application to all Customer Assistance Program (CAP) customers in November 2022.

For more information, visit PECO’s LIHEAP website at PECO.com/LIHEAP, or call PECO’s LIHEAP hotline at 800-34-HELP-4 (800-344-3574).

We hope that this information helps you navigate any financial challenges and keep your home heated.

Know Your Rights

As a Pennsylvania PECO customer, you have rights such as receiving safe, reliable utility service and clear, concise bills. In return, you’re responsible to pay your bills on time and ensure access to the meter. Additional protections apply to victims of domestic abuse, people in low-income households, and households where someone is seriously ill.