Press Release

HARRISBURG – The Public Utility Commission (PUC) is again urging consumers who are without essential natural gas or electric service to contact their utility to help restore heat before another serious cold weather period hits the state. A recent PUC survey shows that 7,000 Pennsylvanians still do not have service.

The PUC notes that the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) may still have funds available to help eligible customers restore service. The Department of Public Welfare has announced that Pennsylvania will receive approximately $20.4 million as part of an additional $300 million LIHEAP appropriation. Low-income customers should contact their county assistance office for information about how to apply.

In December, the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services (BCS) released its annual cold weather survey results, which showed that more than 12,000 households did not have electric or natural gas service. Before each winter, utilities attempt to contact disconnected customers and try to make arrangements to get them reconnected.

Due to the high number of customers still without electric or natural gas service, BCS asked utilities to contact for a second time the households without service to encourage customers to take advantage of the assistance programs provided by federal and state agencies and utility companies. The utilities found that about 5,000 more customers had been reconnected, leaving approximately 7,000 customers still without service.

The survey results show that as of Jan. 18:

• The number of households without electric service has decreased from 2,047 residential households to 1,013; and
• The numbers of customers without natural gas service decreased from 10,077 to 6,026.

"Anyone who knows of someone whose utility service is off should encourage that person to call the appropriate utility company right away," said BCS Director Mitch Miller. "If customers are unsuccessful in making arrangements with the company to have service restored, they should contact the PUC for assistance through a toll-free telephone number, 1-800-692-7380."

There is still time for consumers to reconnect utility services for the cold weather season. The lack of utility service during the winter months can pose potential health and safety hazards. Customers without service run the risk of getting hypothermia or starting fires caused by makeshift lighting and heating devices.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ensures safe, reliable and reasonably priced electric, natural gas, water, telephone and transportation service for Pennsylvania consumers, by regulating public utilities and by serving as responsible stewards of competition.