By Pam Robinson

Posted September 10, 2022

Read on Huntington Now

New York is providing $250 million in funding to eliminate pandemic-related utility arrears for residential households, with a priority to low-income households, from March 7, 2020 through March 1, 2022.

The funds will be applied to customers’ accounts by the utilities, including PSEG-LI, and various municipal electric cooperatives.

PSEG and National Grid are administering the program, which provides customers a chance to have  utility debts from that time period to be forgiven, the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island said.

Eligible are:

Customers already enrolled in the PSEG Household Assistance Program or the National Grid Energy Affordability Program

And customers enrolled in one of the following programs

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)

-Lifeline Telephone Service Program (Lifeline)

-Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

-Medicaid

-Veterans Disability or Survivors Pension

-Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

-Federal Public Housing Assistance

-Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (if living on tribal lands)

-Head Start (if living on tribal lands)

-Tribal TANF (if living on tribal lands)

-Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (if living on tribal lands)

-Utility Guarantee / Direct Vendor programs

-Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

-Safety Net Assistance

Long Islanders have until Dec. 31 to enroll in relevant programs and apply for utility forgiveness

To apply  with National Grid: click here

To apply with PSEG: click here.