TEXAS, USA — To help people out during the trying times, Atmos Energy has suspended natural gas disconnections due to non-payment.
With the COVID-19 crisis and social distancing over the past few months, many people have increased energy usage due to being home more often than usual.
Instead of merely disconnecting, the company will offer payment installment plans to help people meet their bills.
“To help those experiencing financial hardship, we have temporarily suspended natural gas disconnections for non-payment and offer payment installment plans. In addition, financial help is available through local assistance agencies,” said Jeff Martinez, Atmos Energy vice president of customer service.
This will not only allow customers to keep their power on, but will also keep a large balance from racking up, which could make bills harder to pay in the long run.
Financial assistance is also available, through local agencies, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Atmos Energy's Sharing the Warmth fund.
The latter is a program that provides assistance from customer donations and Atmos Energy's own contributions.
So if you're worried about being able to pay your energy bill this month, consider applying for financial help.
To find a local agency that can help you, you can visit the Atmos Energy website or by calling 211.
Financial assistance is available on a first come-first served basis to eligible customers.
To get set up on a payment plan you can call 888.286.6700 from Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. or log into the Atmos Energy Account Center.
When you are enrolled in a payment plan there will be no added charges or fees.
For more information you can call the Atmos Energy line or visit the website.
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