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Pictured from left to right: Stuart Barrett (Vice President, Customer Service, Entergy Texas), Amanda McMillian (President and Chief Executive Office, United Way of Greater Houston), Mary Vazquez (Vice President, Community Outreach, United Way of Greater Houston), Eliecer “Eli” Viamontes (President and CEO, Entergy Texas)
Entergy Texas presented the United Way of Greater Houston with a grant of $1.3 million to help customers who need assistance paying their power bill. High natural gas prices and record-breaking temperatures led to high bills this summer, so the contribution will provide a one-time $150 bill credit to qualifying customers on a first-come, first-served basis. The online application for the bill credit will be available through the United Way of Greater Houston’s website at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 27.
“While we can’t control many of the factors contributing to high bills, we can provide meaningful solutions,” said Eliecer “Eli” Viamontes, president and CEO of Entergy Texas. “United Way shares our mission of improving lives, so we are thankful to partner with them to help bring financial relief to many families across Southeast Texas.”
Most of the power Entergy Texas generates comes from natural gas, and the cost to buy this fuel has more than doubled in the last year. These fuel costs are passed through to customers with no profit to the company. However, these persistent high natural gas prices continue to increase customer bills.
"Our 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE data shows that families are struggling to pay for increasing utility costs this summer and also dealing with rising prices of basic necessities,” said United Way of Greater Houston President and CEO Amanda McMillian. “United Way of Greater Houston works every day to help our neighbors land on their feet and stay there and connecting people with utility assistance through Entergy is a great way to further that mission.”
The $1.3 million contribution to the United Way of Greater Houston is part of Entergy Texas’s $1.7 million pledge to bill payment assistance for residential customers. In addition to bill credits, the company is:
- Providing an additional $213,000 to its Power to Care program, which helps senior customers and customers with disabilities.
- Expediting the return of $2.9 million in security deposits to more than 13,000 customers.
- Providing $170,000 to local partner agencies to help with bill assistance.
- Volunteering with community partners to conduct energy efficiency upgrades in various neighborhoods that, on average, can save $600 on a customer’s bill.
Learn more about the bill assistance initiatives at www.entergy.com/answers.