Clark Public Utilities is now offering utility assistance for customers behind on their bills who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with those qualified able to get up to $1,250 in help to get back on track.
The utility debuted its Clark Pandemic Relief (CPR) program this week and has set aside $5 million in funds for assistance. Those who meet the requirements can receive a one-time bill credit of up to $750. On top of that, customers with remaining balances can receive up to $500 in matching credit from the utility for any additional past-due charges.
Those with balances that are 30 days or more past due and who have an income not more than 225% of the federal poverty level for three months since March 2020 are eligible. The impact on income must be related to the pandemic in order to receive assistance.
The utility is well aware of the ups and downs its customers faced over the course of the pandemic, Clark Public Utilities Customer Experience Manager Cameron Daline said, which led to the creation of the program. Surveys and U.S. Census data related to the pandemic show a sizable portion of the utility’s customer base has been affected.
“We know that our customers in Clark County are struggling,” Daline said.
Daline said CPU, like many other utilities across the state and nation, are seeing more past-due balances because of the pandemic.
Daline estimated that up to about 30,000 households could take advantage of the program, though the exact total would be subject to eligibility.
The CPU Board of Commissioners approved the allocation of $5 million for the program in October. The program isn’t the first time the utility has provided pandemic-focused assistance to customers. In November 2020, CPU distributed about $3.3 million in CARES Act funding to customers for pandemic assistance, Daline said.
“(The commissioners) knew that the success of that CARES program was something that meant that our customers really needed this help,” Daline said.
Daline said the money for the CPR program came from surplus funds the utility had.
In order to get customers into the program, Daline said CPU will send letters to households with account balances more than 30 days past due, and would also reach out through email and phone calls. Apart from directly contacting households, he said the utility also plans to promote the program through social media and through other channels to get the word out.
“Even if a customer themselves is not eligible for it, or doesn’t feel that they’re eligible for it, they might know someone who’s struggling who they can then spread the word to,” Daline said.
Those eligible will be able to apply for the assistance either online through CPU’s website or by calling the utility, Daline said. Customers won’t need to provide documentation, like pay stubs, of the impacts the pandemic caused.
“We trust our customers to be honest with the information that they provide to us,” Daline said.
Though CPU provides regular payment assistance through a senior rate credit, its Guarantee of Service Plan which bases payments off of income, and through the implementation of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the CPR program is specifically designed for pandemic impacts and the dollar amount of assistance available for customers is significant, Daline said.
Daline said the income guidelines need to include an average of any three months from March 2020 and don’t have to be consecutive.
“We realize that a lot of customers … had impacts to their employment maybe since March 2020, but have since got it back again,” Daline said. “Right at the beginning of the pandemic, a lot of industries got shut down, people lost their employment. People got their employment back, then the delta variant happened, other things happened (and) they might have lost it again.”
The program also differs from others in its time frame for eligibility since it goes back to when the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold in Clark County.
“This program is designed to help all customers who were affected, whether it was six months ago or whether it’s right now,” Daline said.
Daline said the CPR program fits in with the utility’s overall goal to support those who get electricity or water through them.
“In perfect circumstances we wouldn’t have to do it in the slightest, but we also know that when our customers are in need, we’re going to do everything we can to help them,” Daline said.
