Duke Power Cooling Assistance Program

Duke Power Cooling Assistance Program collects donations from the surrounding region of South Carolina and then there is one time assistance provided to a small number of customers for paying their utility bills. The funds can serve as the last resort for a family or individual who may otherwise have their power disconnected.

Each and every year hundreds of people as well as the Duke Energy Foundation both contribute to Cooling Assistance Program as well as apply for help from it. The funding is limited, but a positive of this resource is that 100% of all of the donations go to pay utilities. Another benefit is that all types of utilities provided by Duke Power can be covered, whether it is gas, electricity, heat, or some other source.

The assistance is very effective when it is combined with other programs. For example many customers of Duke Power apply for multiple sources of funds. Whether it is a grant from LIHEAP, free energy conservation measures from weatherization, payment plans, or Cooling Assistance Program, all of these funds will help the less fortunate. So a multi-faceted approach is often best. The three categories of support are below.

Duke Power Cooling Assistance Program Donations – Give back to the South Carolina community by using this service. Duke works with non-profits and social service agencies in South Carolina to help struggling families. They collect donations on a one time basis and through the traditional operating round up approach.

Every single dollar and every single cent collected from the donation service goes to help customers. Whether it is $10 or 50 cents per month from Round Up, this makes a big difference to the community. The collected funds often help keep the lights and heat on for dozens (if not hundreds) of customers each month.

 

 

 

 

Duke Power Cooling Assistance Program emergency utility assistance – This is the financial aid part of the program. It relies on the donation competent mentioned above. There is some form of assistance for paying utility bills when all else fails.

Most of the money goes to people who are considered to be in a crisis that was not caused by them. So this means it is for one time events. Duke Power will review the terms and conditions of the Cooling Assistance Program donation program, and if the crisis qualifies, then some funds may be paid out. Qualifying utilities range from heat to lights to gas and more.

Other options from Duke Power – As noted, Cooling Assistance Program will never be the only solution. Since it relies on the generosity of the community to donate money, the program is very limited in scope and nature. The funds are paid out first come and served, and the demand for energy bill help is always greater then supply. Therefore customers should also look into the following:

-LIHEAP cash grants, both regular and crisis. These focus on heat.
-Save money and cutback expenses by applying for free weatherization.
-Duke Power will provide payment plans, linkage to welfare/TANF, abatements, and one off adjustments.

For more information on Duke Power Cooling Assistance Program, or for any other resource that can help pay utility bills in South Carolina, call the company at 1-800-777-9898.. Or try a community action agency or non-profit in your area.