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There is help if you struggle to pay electric and natural gas bills. The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC), your residential utility consumer advocate, provides this fact sheet to help you to know your disconnection and reconnection rights. If you need more information about financial assistance, it can be found at www.occ.ohio.gov/utilityassistance.
OCC urges consumers who are behind on their utility bill payments to contact their utility company immediately to make payment arrangements.
Disconnection of utility services can occur any time of year. Consumers should take quick action when receiving an official disconnection notice from their utility.
There are various reasons why electric and natural gas utilities can disconnect service, including:
However, you cannot be disconnected or denied reconnection based on the past due bills of a former customer no longer living in the home.
When utility bills are unpaid, the utility must give you advance notice of an opportunity to arrange a payment plan to prevent disconnection of your electric or natural gas service.
Utilities are encouraged by the PUCO to arrange extended payment plans. If you face disconnection and cannot arrange an individualized plan, electric and natural gas utilities must offer the following standard payment plans:
If disconnection of utility service would be especially dangerous for the health of someone living in your home, a medical professional (under certain circumstances) can help prevent shutoff or restore service. Medical certifications can be used up to three times in a 12-month period. Certification forms are available from the utility or a health facility and must be completed for each use.
Medical certifications can also be used if disconnection would make the operation of needed medical or life-support equipment impossible or impractical.
Special Reconnection Order (SRO)
Investor-owned electric and natural gas utility customers can avoid disconnection or can reconnect service by paying $175 of the total amount owed, plus a reconnection fee of no more than $36 (if applicable). The SRO can be used (regardless of income) once per heating season per utility, typically between mid-Oct. and mid-April. To use the SRO, contact your utility.
Eligible PIPP Plus customers with past due amounts greater than $175 may be able to use the SRO and have any remaining unpaid balance transferred to their PIPP arrearage.
Also known as E-HEAP or Emergency HEAP, this program provides financial assistance once per heating season for income-eligible households to restore or maintain heating service. It is available from Nov. 1 to March 31 for households at or below 175 percent of the federal income guidelines.
Similar to the Winter Program, the Summer Crisis Program may provide assistance for some income-eligible consumers between July 1 and Sept. 30.
If you notify your utility and pay the amount due with any additional reconnection charges, service must be restored by the end of the next business day. You can request same-day reconnection if payment is made and the utility is notified by 12:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. if using a medical certification). If paying at an authorized payment location, you must provide the utility proof of payment for same or next-day reconnection. A list of authorized payment locations can be obtained from your utility. Same-day reconnections may also require additional charges for any work performed after business hours.
If your service has been disconnected for more than ten business days, the utility may charge a reconnection fee and treat you as a new customer by taking up to three days to reconnect service.
Utilities may charge consumers a reconnection fee, which is generally between $15 and $60. The utility also may require you to pay a deposit. A deposit cannot exceed one month’s estimated charges plus 30 percent.
For more information about specific disconnection protections, or to learn about additional assistance programs, visit our website at www.occ.ohio.gov/utilityassistance.
Information about other local assistance programs may be available by contacting your local CAA or the Ohio Department of Development at 1-800-282-0880 or www.development.ohio.gov.
Consumers can also contact the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) about assistance programs or for help resolving a utility dispute or complaint at 1-800-686-7826 or www.puco.ohio.gov.
AES Ohio
(formerly Dayton Power & Light)
1-800-433-8500
www.aes-ohio.com
American Electric Power
1-800-672-2231
www.aepohio.com
CenterPoint Energy
(formerly Vectren)
1-800-227-1376
www.centerpointenergy.com
Columbia Gas of Ohio
1-800-344-4077
www.columbiagasohio.com
Dominion East Ohio Gas
1-800-362-7557
www.dominionenergy.com
Duke Energy Ohio
1-800-544-6900
www.duke-energy.com
The Illuminating Company
1-800-589-3101
www.firstenergycorp.com
Ohio Edison
1-800-633-4766
www.firstenergycorp.com
Toledo Edison
1-800-447-3333
www.firstenergycorp.com
To download: Click the folder with a down arrow icon. To print: Click the printer icon in the top right of the display.
If you need multiple copies for an organization or group, please contact a member of our outreach team.