BWL won’t shut off electricity serving
‘vulnerable’ customers during heating season

The Lansing Board of Water & Light will not turn off electricity service to senior citizens and other at-risk individuals during Michigan’s extended heating season, BWL General Manager J. Peter Lark announced today.

Lark, who recently chaired a statewide committee that developed guidelines for shut-off protection, said it’s important that BWL customers know their hometown utility won’t shut off electric service to vulnerable customers during the winter months.

“Senior citizens, those with certified medical conditions and other at-risk persons deserve an added level of protection,” Lark said. “We are committed to making certain people in our high-risk population are given extra consideration regarding shut-offs during the heating season.”

During Michigan’s new, extended heating season, November 1 through March 31, these BWL shut-off protections are in effect:

• Customers the BWL knows to be senior citizens will not have their electric service turned off during the heating season. If a customer is age 65 or older, he or she should call the BWL, (517) 702-6006.
• The BWL will provide shut-off protection for customers with
  certified medical conditions. Those customers should call the phone number listed above.
• Families with active members of U.S. Military are also protected
  from shut-offs. Those customers should call the phone number
  listed above.

Other customer protections include:

• The BWL will not use electric-service “limiters.”
• The BWL will allow customers to name a third party to receive
  bills and shut-off notices for them. Call (517) 702-6006.
• Low-income customers who fall behind on their bills during
  winters months may qualify for a winter protection payment plan.
• Customers may be eligible for energy assistance. They should dial 2-1-1, and ask to be put in touch with the appropriate social service agency.

Recently, Lark chaired a committee of the Michigan Municipal Electric Association, which issued guidelines aimed at preventing potentially dangerous shut-offs during the heating season.

The Michigan Legislature is considering legislation to make similar guidelines a state law.

Lark also urged customers to sign up for the BWL’s Pennies for Power program. Pennies for Power allows customers to “round up” their utility bills to the next whole dollar amount. The difference between the actual bill and the whole dollar amount is placed in a fund, which is used to help others struggling to pay their bills.

Approximately $40,000 a year in customer donations is placed in a fund, administered by a Lansing social service agency, to assist customers with paying their BWL bills.

Signing up for Pennies for Power is easy. Customers can simply check the Pennies for Power box on their utility bill. Additionally, a Pennies for Power coupon is regularly included in the Connections newsletter that is mailed to BWL customers. Customers can also sign up for Pennies for
Power by going to the BWL Website, www.lbwl.com.

The Lansing Board of Water & Light is Michigan’s largest publicly owned utility, with more than 97,000 electric customers and nearly 56,000 water customers.

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