National Grid Offers Assistance to Long Island Customers

HICKSVILLE, NY (05/02/2011)(readMedia)-- National Grid offers its Long Island customers a range of payment programs and financial assistance options to help manage their energy bills. At the first sign of difficulty, customers who believe they may be unable to pay their bills should contact National Grid at 800-930-5003.

National Grid employs Consumer Advocates to assist low-income and special needs customers facing financial hardship. Advocates are available to provide early intervention, information on a variety of assistance programs, crisis bill pay management, outreach and education.

The company offers and supports a variety of helpful programs and payment options, including:

• Budget Plan– National Grid's budget billing program helps to spread payments out evenly across the year, an option especially valuable to customers on a fixed income. The budget plan is free of charge, and customers can cancel at any time. Customers can find out their proposed Budget Plan amount or to enroll, 800-930-5003 or visit nationalgridus.com.
• Deferred Payment Agreement – Customers who have fallen behind on payments and cannot pay their bill in full may qualify to pay the past-due balance over time.
• On Track – National Grid offers the On Track program to provide financial assistance and energy management education for low-income customers. National Grid's consumer advocates use the On Track program to help qualified customers resolve financial difficulties and get them back on track.
• Discount Rates- Low-income customers may be eligible for a discounted rate. To determine eligibility or to apply, customers should fill out and submit the application form available on National Grid's website, or call 1-800-930-5003.

For more information on the specific programs and payment options available, visit nationalgridus.com. For money-saving energy efficiency tips, visit powerofaction.com.

National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.

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