Assistance with utility bills in South Carolina and help with electric bills

High utility and energy prices are a burden to many South Carolina residents. Many families as well as individuals need help with electric bills. The state government, charities and a wide number of utility companies operating in the state are offering programs that are designed to assist many struggling individuals and families. Find options on the various energy and utility bill assistance programs below. Charities, the government of South Carolina, utility company payment plans as well as other options can help customers either pay their utility bills or save money.

South Carolina government assistance programs for energy bills

One program is The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). This will provide low income families with free home weatherization advice as well as other conservation assistance for lower income families or families with a hardship. In particular this service, it will help the elderly as well as people with disabilities and children. It will help improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Even basic repairs to a furnace or air conditioner may be paid for in some cases.

Another program that provides utility bill assistance is The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. This program assists households with electricity and utility bills by issuing them grants to pay their bills. This program is also administered by the South Carolina Governors Office of Economic Opportunity. They work in cooperation with numerous local community action agencies. Read more.

 

 

Help from charities and directly from utility companies

Aiken Electric Cooperative
Operation Round Up
AEC members will help provide shelter, food, clothing, healthcare and other services to those who need it the most. Read more Round Up from Aiken Electric.

Carolina Community Actions
This agency can provide aid for paying utility bills to lower income residents in both York and Clover counties. Grants and funds are available.

Free conservation may be arranged my multiple providers. Some utilities companies even offer financing for home improvements that greatly help increase energy efficiency. They have various payment plans, including allowing the loan to be repaid in monthly installments added to your utility bill. Many utilities also have home cooling and heating assistance programs that will help residents with limited incomes pay their electricity as well as energy bills during the hottest and coolest periods of the year. Or they help fix broken HVAC equipment.

Duke Power - Several assistance programs are offered in the state of South Carolina. Examples include:
Share the Warmth
A heating bill assistance program. This can assist with numerous energy bills and relies on donations from the community. Learn more.

 

 

Cooling Assistance Program
Help pay for cooling bills, and provide equipment to cool homes. Read more.

Fan-Heat Relief Program
Provides fans to cool homes during the summer. The vulnerable, including senior citizens, often get them.

Orangeburg Department of Public Utilities and Project Good Neighbor is mostly funded by employees donations. It is run in partnership with local charities, including Catholic and religious groups. The assistance for paying utility bill is only for a crisis, but all sorts of expenses including fuel, light, kerosene, coal and others can be paid. Read more.

Piedmont Natural Gas
Share the Warmth
Funds are provided to help with paying any type of heating bill, including oil, propane, electricity, coal, kerosene or even wood. Learn more.

Progress Energy
Offers the Energy Neighbor Fund
The program receives funding and support from utility employees, churches, customers, as well as civic organizations. Customer and Employee campaigns help to raise funds for the Energy Neighbor Fund each year, and Progress Energy provides a quarter million dollars in matching funds to help consumers with utility bill assistance. Find additional Progress Energy South Carolina programs.

South Carolina Electric & Gas Co.
Project Share
Project Shares provides assistance to lower income customers. It is used to help customers pay for winter heating bills, help pay the bills of customers in extreme health-related cases, and summer cooling bills. Find additional utility bill assistance programs from SCE&G. Read more.

 

 

York County families that use the Natural Gas Authority can get help with paying their gas bills during the summer or winter. The United Way and social service agencies offer funds. The two programs are known as Feel the Heat or Sharing the Warmth. More on York County Natural Gas Authority utility bill help.