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17 Ways to Get Help with Your Toledo Edison Bill

17 Ways to Get Help with Your Toledo Edison Bill

Are you ready to save some money on your Toledo Edison bill? We’ve found many ways that low income customers can save money on their bills.

Some of these assistance programs can help you reduce your bills or even pay your past-due bills. In some cases, you may be able to get free energy efficiency upgrades or even reduce the total amount of your bill.

Toledo Edison Bill Pay Options

If you are struggling to pay your Toledo Edison bill, the first thing you should do is contact the company and ask about their helpful bill pay options. This can help you buy time and protect you from shut off while you seek other forms of assistance.

Extend Your Due Date

If you can’t pay your Toledo Edison bill when it’s due, then you may be able to extend your due date! This program is specifically for customers who are at least 60 years old or receive a Social Security, pension, or disability benefits check.

The goal is to make it easier for you to make your payments on time by changing your due date to align with your payments.

$175 Winter Option

During the winter months, residential customers who have fallen behind on their payments can pay $175 to keep their utilities connected. If the balance owed is less than $175, then the customer would just pay the lower amount due. If the bill is higher than $175, then the customer could just pay $175 to keep their account secure.

This is only authorized one time per year per customer.

Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus)

Customers with an income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level can participate in the PIPP Plus program. This program is open year-round, which means that you can apply at any time.

Customers who enroll in this program pay just 5-10% of their income each month toward the power bill, regardless of their actual use. The minimum allowable payment under this program is $10 per month. That means your Toledo Edison bill could be as low as $10 per month no matter how much electricity you actually use!

You can apply online or by calling the Ohio Department of Development. You will need to provide a copy of your recent utility bill. You will also need to provide the name, birth date, Social Security and income statements for all of your household members.

When you are on this program, you will pay less than what you owe. When your income increases, you will need to pay the outstanding balance. Thankfully, Toledo Edison has another program that helps with that as well.

PIPP Arrearage Crediting Plan

If your income increases beyond the limits for the PIPP Plus plan, you may be able to participate in the PIPP Arrearage Crediting (PAC) Plan. The PAC plan will help you pay off the balance you owe from the time you participated in PIPP Plus.

Military Deferrals

If a member of your family has been called to active military duty, you can have your payment deferred until they return! You can choose to defer either all or part of your electric bill during this time.

When your family member returns home, you will need to catch up on the balance owed but the company may offer payment arrangements that can help.

Medical Certification

If your health would be placed at risk by a service disconnection, you need to get a licensed physician to certify that in writing. Submit the written statement to Toledo Edison, and they will make sure to postpone any disconnection of your utilities by 30 days.

You’ll still owe the amount due but this extension will give you more time to pay off your balance or seek help.

Payment Arrangements

If you are not eligible for any of the above assistance, you may still be able to get help with your payments. The company offers payment arrangements that can divide your past due balance across multiple monthly installments, which can help you keep your service connected while you repay the debt.

To find out what arrangements are available to you, you will need to reach out to the company. You may be able to get a payment arrangement offer by logging into their website as well.

Get Help Paying Your Toledo Edison Bill

There are several ways that you can get help paying your Toledo Edison bill if you can’t afford it yourself. The government, the company, and other nonprofits all have funds available that may be able to assist you.

Home Energy Assistance Program

The Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, helps low income Ohio residents keep their utilities connected. The program can pay your winter heating bills and sometimes even your summer cooling bills!

In order to be eligible, you must meet ONE of the following criteria:

  • You are at risk of disconnection; OR
  • You have already been disconnected; OR
  • You need to establish new service; OR
  • You need to pay to transfer your service; OR
  • You have PIPP default; OR
  • You need to have 25% supply of bulk fuel in your tank to maintain your service

This program operates seasonally and has three distinct components. The type of assistance you can receive and the requirements will vary depending on which part of the program you are applying for.

HEAP can help you with your home energy bills. This program is open to low income residents between the months of July and May each year.

The Winter Crisis Program helps you avoid disconnection. It runs from the beginning of November to the end of March every year.

The Summer Crisis Program helps provide cooling assistance during the hot months of summer. This program runs from July through September every year.

This program is administered by the Ohio Department of Development. You can apply online or over the phone.

Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OPAE)

The OPAE Fuel Fund provides up to $250 in cash grants. These grants are used to pay home heating bills and keep utilities connected.

In order to receive assistance from this fund, you must meet all of the following requirements:

  • You must be an Idaho resident.
  • You must have a gross income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  • Your home must be individually metered.
  • You must have an active residential energy account.
  • You must apply for HEAP, if eligible.

Unlike HEAP, OPAE has only one season per year. The program opens March 1st and remains open until all the available funds are gone. When the funds are out, the program closes until the next year.

You can apply with the Ohio Department of Development. You’ll need a copy of your most recent utility bill, as well as proof of identity and income for your household members.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Toledo Edison customers and employees donate to the Neighbors Helping Neighbors fund. These funds are provided to the Toledo Salvation Army, who can distribute them to low income customers who need help due to a financial hardship.

In order to get assistance from this fund, you will need to reach out to the Toledo Salvation Army office.

County Job & Family Services

The Prevention, Retention & Contingency Program can provide utility assistance and other benefits to eligible families. This program is offered by Fulton, Lucas and Williams counties. It may be available in other counties as well.

In order to receive help, you must be a resident of the county in which you are applying. You must also have a minor child in your household (third trimester pregnancies count). You must have an income that is at or below $200 of the Federal Poverty Guideline and meet specific work requirements.

Veterans Services Commission

Some counties have a special commission or department that can help veterans with specific expenses. This department may be able to assist you with your Toledo Edison bill.

For example, the Ottawa County Veterans Services Commission can assist with everything from utility assistance to dental care, food vouchers, clothing, rent, prescriptions and more!

St. Vincent de Paul

There are many St. Vincent de Paul locations in Ohio that can assist you with your utility bills. These Churches generally contribute no more than $150 toward your expenses, but the amount will vary depending on which location you contact.

For example, All Saints Catholic Church in Rossford offers utility assistance through their St. Vincent de Paul ministry.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Pemberville offers assistance with your utilities once every six months. You will need to have a shut-off notice in order to receive assistance.

Pathway

Pathway offers one-time assistance with utility bills. In order to be eligible, you must be a resident of Ohio and have an income that is at or below 175% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Reduce Your Bill

Although one-time help with your bill is always great, it’s even better when you can reduce your ongoing bills as well.

Community Connections

The Community Connections Program provides in-home energy assessments and cost-saving improvements to your home. You will need to prove your income is 200% of FPL or less to qualify.

An evaluator will help you identify ways to save money on your energy bill and may assist with repairs such as sealing air leaks, adding insulation, appliance testing (and possible replacement), water heater inspection, and more.

To get help from Community Connections, you must contact one of the participating providers:

  • Neighborhood Housing Services of Toledo
  • Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission
  • Pathway
  • WSOS

Neighborworks Toledo Region

Neighborworks has a program that provides in-home energy audits to Toledo Edison customers. This program can also provide energy-saving improvements to your home.

Among other things, they can help you:

  • Seal air leaks
  • Add insulation
  • Test appliances (and maybe even replace them!)
  • Inspect weater heaters, etc.

The specific improvements that you receive will depend on the results of your home energy audit. This program is specifically for Lucas County residents. You’ll need to contact Neighborworks for more information.

Other Ways to Get Help

There are other ways that you can get assistance as well!

Third Party Notification

If you need help getting your bills paid on time, you can use Third Party Notification to make sure that someone else is notified when your payment is past due. This is especially helpful for customers who are elderly or disabled.

You can choose to have the company notify a friend, family member, clergy or social service agency if your service is at risk of disconnection. The person they notify isn’t required to do anything, but they can remind you to make the payment if you need help.

Critical Care Program

If you or anyone in your household relies on life-sustaining medical equipment that requires electric service, you need to register that with Toledo Edison. They can help you prepare for planned and unplanned power outages, which can help you stay safer.

What is Toledo Edison?

Toledo Edison is a utility provider that provides service to more than 300,000 people in northwest Ohio. Their customer base is focused in eight counties.

This company is owned by First Energy Corp. There are 10 utility companies owned by this company, and together they comprise the largest investor-owned utility network in the United States.

Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.