Eversource Payment Assistance Programs

The following information is from Eversource:

Eversource is urging customers to sign up for a payment plan or assistance program to protect them from disconnection when the suspension on service disconnections ends. Income-eligible customers qualify for hardship payment plans and all customers, regardless of income, are eligible for the COVID-19 Payment Program. Any residential customers experiencing difficulty paying their utility bill should contact our call center to inquire about being coded hardship. Any customers ineligible for hardship status, including both residential and nonresidential customers, should ask about the COVID-19 Payment Program.

Customers who’ve never needed assistance previously may not realize they qualify for protection from service disconnection or can apply for other programs to help reduce past due balances.  For example, a household of five with an annual income of ~$84 thousand dollars meets the income-eligibility requirements. Eversource encourages all customers to contact the energy company at 800-286-2828 or to check their eligibility on the state income-eligibility matrix – and find out if one of the energy company’s programs below could be beneficial to them.

HARDSHIP PROGRAMS – *for income-eligible customers

• Winter Protection – Customer’s account is protected from service disconnection November 1st through May 1st regardless of bill payment status, with no late payment charges.
• New Start – Customers can reduce or eliminate their outstanding balance in as little as 12 months when they make on-time monthly payments and Eversource will make up the difference.
• Matching Payment – Customers apply for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and set up an affordable monthly payment arrangement with Eversource. For every dollar a customer pays toward their bill by the agreed-upon time each month, a dollar will be credited to their past-due amount, down to a zero balance.

PAYMENT PROGRAM – *for all customers

COVID-19 Payment Program – Customers can pay past-due balances in flexible payment plans for up to 24 months with no down payment required Once an active payment arrangement has been established, the account will be protected from service disconnection for the duration of the payment plan, as long as they don’t default on the arrangement. Enrollment has been extended to February 9, 2021.

Customers can learn more about payment programs and enroll online at Eversource.com/BillHelp. Information on the energy efficiency  programs is available at www.energizect.com.