Oklahoma Gas and Electric provides customers with payment plans, financial assistance, and referrals. Others are run by different companies but are contracted by OG&E. Some resources are directly managed by OG&E, while others are managed by different companies that have been contracted by OG&E. Other heating assistance programs are run in partnership with the Salvation Army or the federal government, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). For more information on paying your bills, see the resources below.
There are a few different programs that offer discounts for seniors. If you are 65 years of age or older and have a low income, you may be eligible for a $5 per month credit if you are on the R-TOU, R-VPP or R-CPP rate plans. The credit is offered during the hot Oklahoma summer months to help people pay for their air conditioning.
The Oklahoma Gas and Electric Lend A Hand program can help customers pay their energy bills. OK&E is working with the Salvation Army to provide this resource to residents. The utility assistance fund is financed by donations from kind-hearted members of the community. Anyone can make a donation to the fund, and the money donated will go towards helping people who are struggling to pay their utility bills. The donation is tax deductible, so it’s a great way to help those in need while also getting a bit of a tax break. All the donations go to the low income customers who really need them and not to paying administrative fees. The Salvation Army will give money to people who need help paying for electricity, gas, fuel, air conditioning, or firewood. To learn more about the Salvation Army or to find a center near you, you can call 405.840.073.
Average Billing is more of a way to plan and manage your finances, rather than a program to help you pay your bills. This means that customers can predict their monthly electric bill. Studies suggest that if you are aware of the amount you will need to pay for bills in advance, it can make it simpler to budget. The Average Billing plan from Oklahoma Gas and Electric ensures that customers will owe the same amount for their utilities every month. This makes budgeting easier and helps customers avoid large, unexpected bills.
The company offers different payment options that can be customized to the customer’s budget. If you are struggling to pay your energy bill, you can call the energy company and ask about different payment options. OG&E will work with customers to offer payment plans and will only disconnect service as a last resort.
If you are worried about your power being shut off, you can call the company and ask for a deferred payment agreement. This will allow you to make smaller payments over a longer period of time, so that you can catch up on your bills. To find out about different ways to pay or to get help from the government, call 405.272.9741 to speak to a customer service representative.
The utility company will look at how much you owe, if you can afford to pay, why you’re behind on payments, your payment history, and other factors when trying to come up with a solution.
If you want to stay on the OG&E payment plan, you will need to pay your bills within 21 days. If you have any unpaid accounts, your account will be shut off. A second chance or opportunity may be given in certain situations.
If you cannot keep your service on, Oklahoma Gas and Electric will work with you to resolve the issue and restore your service as soon as possible. If you have been disconnected from your service, you will need to pay a $35 reconnection fee, as well as a deposit fee, in order to have your service reconnected.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income families pay for energy costs. The program is funded by the federal government, but it operates in Oklahoma too. LIHEAP is a government assistance program that helps low-income households pay for energy bills. The program provides financial assistance for cooling costs in the summer and heating costs in the winter. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides financial assistance to low-income households to help them pay for energy services, like utility bills. This assistance can help reduce the risk of health and safety problems, like eviction, illness, or fire.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program may offer OG&E families one or more of the following types of financial assistance or grant programs. Energy crisis assistance to prevent people from losing power in an emergency. The organization also provides weatherization and energy-related home repairs to help people save money and energy. The two grants are offered to help with immediate expenses, but there is also the option of free energy conservation/weatherization to help in the long term.
Apply for energy bill help from OG&E
There is financial assistance available to help with energy bills, which is especially important if you have someone in your home who is elderly, disabled, or if you have a young child under 6 years old. To apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, you must submit an application to the Oklahoma Department of Health & Human Services in your county, or to your local community action agency. If you’d like to speak to someone about the product, you can call 800.272.9741.