Posted 2:06 am Friday, June 26, 2009
TXU Turns On Payment Help Early
By BRIAN PEARSON and REGIS L. ROBERTS
Staff Writers
Staff Writers
Triple-digit heat combined with a less-than-sizzling economy has pushed hundreds of thousands of Texas power customers to seek relief through the state as well as electric companies.
In addition, East Texans are flocking for free fans to the point of taxing a local agency's resources.
TXU Energy announced Thurs-day that it was moving up the start date of its annual program to give elderly, ill, disabled and low-income customers a break if they can't pay their power bills, TXU spokeswoman Sophia Stoller said.
The company for the past three years has started the program July 1, but moved it up this year due to recent hot, dry conditions, with the mercury pushing into triple-digit territory, Ms. Stoller said. The program started Thursday.
Ms. Stoller said there would be no disconnections for qualified customers through the summer.
"We will put them on a payment plan," she said. "They will not receive a bill until Sept. 30."
Ms. Stoller said 120,000 TXU customers had signed up as of Thursday.
"Honestly, we wish we had more. We need customers to call and put themselves on the list," Ms. Stoller said. "I think this year we're going to start to see an increase in customers, and we hope they take advantage of this great program we have to offer."
Terry Hadley, Austin-based Public Utilities Commission spokesman, said almost a half million electricity customers statewide had been approved for power discounts through a program that runs from May through September.
As of Thursday, 464,000 had signed up -- a 26.8 percent increase over the 366,000 who got the discounts in all of 2008, Hadley said. Customers who are on the program typically are the same ones who qualify for Medicate or food stamps, he said, adding that they can shave up to a third off their electric bill through the program.
Also to help the poor and elderly this summer, TXU Energy presented a grant Thursday to People Attempting to Help for its Fan Club program.
PATH each summer provides box fans to elderly and poor families to give them relief from the heat.
With the $10,000 TXU grant, PATH can buy 1,000 box fans.
Executive Director Christina Fulsom said box-fan demand has increased this summer, with the sour economic and high temperatures forming a perfect storm, leaving PATH short handed.
Ms. Fulsom said people who donated to PATH in previous years now are now turning to the organization for help.
In a recent two-day period PATH gave away 200 fans and the organization has had to turn people away because their supply has run out, she said.
The Fan Club program allows people to either donate a box fan, buy one at Home Depot for a discount or simply donate $15 to PATH to provide fans for people in need.
Ms. Fulsom said many people do not use air conditioning to reduce their power bills.
Kim Campbell, TXU spokeswoman, said the company has written similar grants in the Dallas area and will do more in Houston and Sherman.
