Potomac Edison West Virginia
Assistance and Service Programs - Help Paying Your BillDo you need help with your electric bill? Please review these programs for the solution that works best for you.
Energy Assistance Programs
- Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS)
Serves as liaison between the customer and the customer’s creditors and provides budget counseling, a supervised Debt Management Program, and suspension of penalty and interest charges on debt for customers overburdened with debt.
- Dollar Energy Fund (DEF) - www.dollarenergy.org*
An emergency hardship fund designed to help residential customers who have suffered a recent financial hardship and need temporary help in paying their electric bill. Program funding is provided by Potomac Edison customers and FirstEnergy shareholders. The distribution of funds is administered by community-based organizations throughout the Potomac Edison’s service territory. For more information, visit .
- Emergency Assistance Program (EAP)
Administered by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) to help eligible customers avoid termination of service. Customers must present a disconnect notice at the county DHHR office. Emergency Assistance is a one-time payment that is applied to the customer's account.
- Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP)
Administered by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), Office of Income Maintenance; the program provides assistance to low-income customer whose primary heating source is electric or gas. The program includes LIEAP and Emergency-LIEAP (E-LIEAP) payments. The DHHR accepts applications and awards E-LIEAP to customer who have received a termination notice after applying and qualifying for LIEAP.
- 20% Energy Credit Program
Administered by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), Office of Family Support, reduces low-income customers’ utility bill by 20%. Eligible customers can receive an application from the DHHR and send the completed applications to:
Potomac Edison
20% Discount Program
5001 NASA Blvd
Fairmont, WV 26554
- Social Service Agency List -1-800-686-0011
To find the agency in your area, please call our Contact Center at 1-800-686-0011.
Payment Arrangements
Contact us for information about the following programs:
- Extended Due Date.
If you are at least 60 years old and receive a Social Security or pension check, or if you receive disability assistance, and your electric bill is usually due just before your monthly benefit check comes, we can extend your payment due date until after your check arrives.
- Extended Payment Plan.
If conditions make it difficult to pay your electric bill on time, we can arrange an extended payment plan. This maintains service while you make payments more suited to your financial situation.
- Third Party Notification
Select a third party (a friend, relative, clergy, or social service agency) to be notified, along with yourself, if your electric service is about to be disconnected. The third party is not obligated to pay overdue bills, but can remind you of pending disconnection and help you make payment arrangements.
- Military Deferred Payment Program -- 1-800-736-3401
This program is designed to assist customers who are having financial difficulties because their family members have been called to active military duty. Customers participating in the program may elect to defer paying either all or part of their monthly electric bill. When the family member in the military service returns home, the account will be reviewed to determine payment arrangements for the balance owed.
Medical Needs Assistance
Contact us about the following programs:
- Critical Customer Care Program
The Critical Customer Care Program identifies customers who use certain electrically operated life sustaining medical equipment in their home. The program helps customers - for whom a service interruption could be immediately life threatening, or would make operation of necessary medical or life supporting equipment impossible or impractical - prepare for planned and unplanned power outages. Please call us if someone in your home uses this type of medical equipment.
- Medical Certification
Customers with severe health problems may have a licensed physician certify in writing that a termination of electric service would be especially dangerous. The medical certification will postpone the termination of electric service for 30 days. The certification is designed to provide the customer with additional time to pay their past-due balance. The customer is still responsible for the past-due amount and will be given the opportunity to pay the balance in monthly installments.