2016 assistance funds to help customers facing financial hardship avoid service disconnection

ComEd announced it has dedicated $10 million in assistance funds again for the fifth consecutive year to help customers facing financial hardships and potential disconnection. These dollars are part of a five-year, $50 million commitment to help ComEd customers struggling to pay their utility bills, a result of the Smart Grid law enacted in 2011. The company is looking to extend this assistance through 2021 under new legislation, known as ComEd’s Future Energy Plan.

The ComEd shareholder-funded CARE programs are focused on helping military families, veterans, senior citizens and customers who may have experienced a job loss, illness or disability and need help paying their electric bills. ComEd also offers assistance to non-profit organizations that are experiencing a hardship. In addition, the company is offering flexible options and ease of payment for customers who need help paying their bill, including minimum pay options, budget bill, and deferred payment arrangements.

“We understand that assistance can be critical to customers who struggle financially. The funding for the CARE programs has served as a vital resource helping thousands of vulnerable customers pay their electric bills,” said Val Jensen, SVP of Customer Operations, ComEd. “ComEd is dedicated to helping our customers and we hope to be able to continue offering programs like CARE, as we know a little can go a long way in getting someone back on track.”

Last year through ComEd’s CARE programs, the utility was able to help more than 22,000 customers with financial grants. Service disconnection is always the last resort, and only occurs after a lengthy process that is designed to avoid this outcome. The $10 million for 2016 will provide relief to customers in need and help get them back on track to managing their utility bill. The utility is also running advertisements to increase awareness of the available funds and to encourage customers in need to apply for assistance.

ComEd’s customer CARE programs are designed to help a variety of qualified customers, including:

Seniors and Families

  • ComEd’s Residential Hardship program allows income-eligible, residential customers to apply once every two years for grants of up to $500. Eligible hardships include job loss, illness, military deployment, and senior or disability-related hardships.

Veterans

  • ComEd’s CHAMP program, which stands for ComEd Helps Activated/Disabled Military Personnel, is a financial-assistance program that offers a package of benefits to qualified military personnel who reside within ComEd’s service territory and have fallen behind on their electric bills. ComEd has assisted activated and deployed members of the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard, Reserves and honorably discharged veterans. ComEd provides grants of up to $1,000 (once every two years, while funds are available).

Local Non-Profits

  • Through our Nonprofit Special Hardship program, ComEd makes grants of up to $2,000, once every two years, to eligible non-profit organizations that have fallen behind on their electric bills.

For more information on ComEd’s financial assistance programs, including eligibility requirements please visit ComEd.com/CARE or call 1-888-806-CARE (2273).

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with approximately 7.8 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

ComEdMedia Relations(312) 394-3500

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