PGW Offers Customers More Access and Services at Philadelphia Neighborhood Energy Centers
Posted on: Nov 30, 2022With more than a dozen Neighborhood Energy Centers across the City,
PGW is meeting customers where they live and work
PHILADELPHIA, PA (November 30, 2022) — As winter approaches, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) reminds customers they can visit local Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) Neighborhood Energy Centers (NECs) to speak one-on-one with PGW-trained Energy Counselors about their accounts and how to better afford home heating bills. NECs also offer a range of support services, from bill payment assistance and applying for LIHEAP grants to respond to the cost of household energy, to educational workshops, conservation services, and more.
PGW’s partnership with NECs offers Philadelphia customers more in-person locations with more convenient hours to apply for various PGW payment assistance programs, learn energy-saving tips to help lower monthly bills, and participate in virtual counseling sessions.
The ECA has operated NECs since 1984, serving Philadelphians in more than a dozen locations, primarily in underrepresented areas and in vulnerable communities.
“PGW is doing everything we can to meet our customers where they are and increase access to our robust energy saving programs and services. The NECs are just a short trip away for those who may lack transportation or have challenges traveling throughout the city,” said Nyisha Chapman, PGW Community Partnerships Manager.
“Our PGW-trained Energy Counselors help customers set up their PGW My Account, connect them to income-based payment assistance programs, and advise on budgeting, among other services. With many locations and convenient hours of operation, NECs help our customers with any utility issues they may have. With cold weather coming, customers will be using more natural gas to heat their homes. We encourage them to visit a NEC for payment assistance information and ways to save on their bills,” said Chapman.
Many NECs are hosted in partnership with trusted community organizations in existing locations already known to residents, such as the Nicetown CDC, Congreso de Latinos Unidos, and Greater Philadelphia Asian Social Services (GPASS).
“Our 16 Neighborhood Energy Centers are strategically located throughout the Philadelphia area as a first point of contact to help income-eligible households relieve their energy burden,” said Lorraine Horton, Director of Community Programs at the Energy Coordinating Agency. “NECs help individuals with shut-off notices, LIHEAP/Crisis, and other energy services such as weatherization applications, PGW conservation workshops, and connect families with other resources that are available. We are ‘feet on the street’ energy advocates.”
Charles Lanier, Executive Director of the Hunting Park Neighborhood Advisory Committee, added: “NECs help Philadelphia residents reduce their energy burdens. We encourage everyone in the community to visit their local, convenient Neighborhood Energy Center. We’re here to serve them and their families.”
For a full list of all NEC locations, visit pgworks.com/uploads/pdfs/Philly_Neighborhood_Energy_Centers.pdf
For more information on LIHEAP, Crisis Assistance, and additional PGW payment assistance programs, visit pgworks.com/residential/customer-care/payment-assistance.
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