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Low-income customers who have fallen behind on their natural gas bills
may receive up to $1,000 in free payment assistance
PHILADELPHIA (April 8, 2021) – Philadelphia Gas Works’ (PGW) customers in need of payment assistance now have until Friday, April 30 to apply for a free Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grant in an amount of up to $1,000.
On April 1, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) winter moratorium on non-payment terminations expired, and PGW urges customers to apply for LIHEAP immediately to avoid service termination.
“With the LIHEAP application deadline extended, PGW encourages customers to take advantage of this opportunity and contact PGW about LIHEAP,” said Denise Adamucci, Vice President of Regulatory Compliance and Customer Programs at PGW. “Each year, many eligible customers fail to apply for LIHEAP and miss out on free money for their natural gas bills. PGW wants as many households as possible to receive LIHEAP assistance in order to stay current with their bills, and maintain their natural gas service.”
To get an application for LIHEAP, customers can call PGW’s Customer Care Team at 215-235-1000, Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., or print a LIHEAP application at pgworks.com/liheap.
Applicants for LIHEAP assistance must have a household income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level to meet the eligibility requirements. The grants are based on household size and income, available to both renters and homeowners, and do not have to be repaid. Eligibility guidelines are available at pgworks.com/liheap.
LIHEAP grants for PGW customers are applied directly to the "Please Pay" amount of their bill. Customers enrolled in PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program (CRP) can benefit from both their regular CRP discount and the additional LIHEAP grant when paying their bill.
Customers without utility service can apply for both Crisis assistance and LIHEAP together. Crisis assistance is a federal grant awarded to income-eligible customers.
For more information on LIHEAP, LIHEAP Crisis and additional PGW payment assistance programs, visit pgworks.com/residential/customer-care/payment-assistance.
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AAA Philadelphia Fleet Depot utilizing its first compressed natural gas (CNG) station, fueling medium roadside assistance vehicles in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 6, 2021) AAA Mid-Atlantic, in partnership with Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), Air & Gas Technologies and the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation (EPACT), announce the completion of a time-fill CNG (compressed natural gas) fueling station located at their Philadelphia, PA Fleet Depot. The station handles AAA Mid-Atlantic’s 23 CNG battery trucks via 12 time-fill hoses and is the first station of its kind in AAA Club Alliance’s territory.
“We have been committed to employing alternative fuels to both control costs and protect the environment,” said Mike Matijkiw, Fleet Business Manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “The new CNG station helps us take advantage of several programs that reduce our operational costs and support our continued investment in alternative fuels.”
Thanks in part to the funding support of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant program and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Alternative Clean Energy program, AAA completed the construction of the company’s first CNG station for their Philadelphia Fleet Depot this January. Funding from these programs drove down the capital costs for the station by 50%. Utility incentives from PGW further supported the project, making it cash flow positive from day one.
“PGW is proud to partner with AAA to expand the availability of compressed natural gas and contribute to the environmental health of the city and region,” said Florian Teme, Vice President of Marketing at PGW. “Using CNG rather than gasoline or diesel helps to reduce carbon emissions and is a more economical fueling source, which will be beneficial to AAA and its membership.”
Designed and developed by Air and Gas Technologies, the station has a daily capacity of 450 gasoline gallon equivalents (GGE) to supports AAA’s CNG fleet today and into the future. The CNG station compresses natural gas on-site, allowing AAA to fill up on CNG while the vehicles are parked overnight.
“AAA is a great leader and partner to the Philadelphia community”, said Vince Tomasso, President of Air & Gas Technologies, “We commend them on their continued investment into alternative fuels.”
Having access to fueling on site has eased range anxiety and saved time that was formerly spent driving to the public CNG station at the airport, a few miles down the road. Other Philadelphia fleets that have made an investment into CNG include the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Airport and Temple University. PGW also has its own fleet of CNG Honda Civics.
Another first this station brings to the city is the company’s use of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). RNG is methane that has be captured from an emitting source, like a landfill, and put to productive use – in this case as a transportation fuel. Filling the company’s 23 CNG trucks with RNG offsets AAA’s carbon footprint by over 300 tons of CO2 per year over fossil natural gas, supporting Philadelphia’s goal of carbon neutrality by the year 2050 and promoting clean air in the communities they serve. RNG for this project was sourced domestically by Renewable Connections.
AAA Mid-Atlantic is a long-standing member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation – a Department of Energy designated Clean Cities Coalition tasked with helping fleets convert to cleaner fuels. Through interactions with the coalition, the company worked with fellow members PGW and Air and Gas Technologies to identify grant funding for the station.
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PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 5, 2021) - Today, the City of Philadelphia announces PHLRentAssist Phase 4-the City’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance Program is now open to landlords and tenants.
Phase 4 of the program helps people pay their rent and utilities who have experienced financial hardship because of COVID-19. Previous phases did not include utilities, only rent. PHDC, the City’s housing and community development non-profit, will continue to administer this program. Landlords and tenants can apply until funds run out.
“We know that tens of thousands of our city’s tenants and landlords are suffering because of COVID-19, and we are doing everything we can to help,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Since May, the City of Philadelphia has put over $65 million into the hands of landlords and tenants to help more than 14,000 households. With this new funding we can help even more families stay in their homes, and even more landlords to afford to pay their bills. We are excited to be able to offer assistance with overdue utility bills in this round, and for our utility partners in getting the word out about this program. Help is on the way and we will get through this together!”
This new round of funding for Philadelphia includes about $97 million from the federal legislation that passed in December 2020, with more funding coming from the American Rescue Plan which was enacted in March, although the amount of those additional funds is not yet known. The City and PHDC estimate that this funding will be able to help between 15,000-20,000 tenants with their rent and utilities.
“We kept the water on for more than 70,000 customers who were unable to pay their bill during this crisis, and these grants are essential to getting those customers back on track before penalties resume on May 1,” says Philadelphia Water Department Commissioner Randy E. Hayman Esq. “Eligible customers who have had growing water bill debts should apply now so they can make a payment to pay off their debt. This revenue is needed for critical infrastructure maintenance and investment.”
Eligible tenants and landlords can apply for up to 18 months of rent and/or utility assistance, with a maximum of $2,000 per month in rent assistance, and up to $2,000 each for overdue water, gas, or electric bills. Rent assistance can pay for back rent owed after April 2020, and for up to three months of forward rent.
“Throughout this difficult period, all Philadelphians have pulled together to help our neighbors who’ve been most impacted by the pandemic,” said Craig White, President and CEO of Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW). “PGW understands that many of our customers and neighbors continue to experience economic difficulties and need additional assistance with paying their bills. We thank the City and PHDC for responding to that need by expanding the Rental Assistance Program to help Philadelphians maintain their natural gas service.”
"We understand the economic toll the pandemic has created and that financial hardships are a reality for many of our customers,” said Mike Innocenzo, PECO president and CEO. “We commend City officials for expanding the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and we believe this new resource, combined with PECO’s various payment options and assistance programs, will provide the support our customers need to maintain their energy services to transition through this difficult time.”
Tenants who received assistance in prior phases of Philadelphia’s rental assistance program can apply for Phase 4; however not for the months where they have received assistance from previous phases or from any other rent assistance program. If a landlord applies on behalf of a tenant, they need written consent from the tenant and the tenant must be eligible.
If an individual or company wish to help Philadelphians in need, there is a way to donate to help tenants stay in their homes. All donations are fully tax exempt. So far, the City has raised over $100,000 by generous Philadelphians and neighbors.
PHLRentAssist Tenant Information:
PHLRentAssist Landlord Information:
Phase 4 General Information:
For more information and for ways for tenants to apply, please visit the PHLRentAssist website. Tenants can call 311 for questions.
Contact: Jamila Davis, PIO, DPD & PHDC, jamila.davis@phila.gov
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