JACKSON, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Tuesday, Consumers Energy announced that it will be providing $12 million to help Michigan residents and small businesses with energy bills.
“We stand with Michigan and are working around the clock to help our friends and neighbors through a time like no other,” Consumers Energy’s president and chief executive officer Patti Poppe said. “Our company’s $12 million contribution will provide a lifeline to many families and businesses, helping them stay on their feet until we can defeat the pandemic and Michigan can fully reopen.”
Officials say the company has set a goal to help about 25,000 households and 1,000 small businesses with this new assistance. The funding will go directly to customers in need and to Michigan nonprofit organizations.
Officials add that the best way for people to get help is to call 2-1-1, a free service that connects people with nonprofit agencies in their communities, including the new financial help that Consumers Energy is announcing.
If a Consumers Energy customer is struggling to pay a bill, they also can call 800-477-5050. The company encourages any struggling customers to not hesitate in requesting assistance.
“There are many people that this is the first time they’ve ever had to ask for help with their energy bill,” Poppe said during a press conference Tuesday. “We knew that these extraordinary times required extraordinary measures. We know that is what is required, because these are unprecedented times, so unprecedented generosity is required too.”
Since March, Consumers Energy and its charitable foundation have now provided over $16 million to help Michigan residents. Their efforts include the following:
- Suspending energy shut-offs for nonpayment for residential and most business customers.
- Making payment arrangements for customers in need.
- Providing access to federal, state and local resources that can help small businesses.
“We knew from the start this pandemic would create unimaginable challenges for many people and businesses,” Consumers Energy’s chief customer officer Brian Rich said. “We’re talking about our neighbors, our friends and even our co-workers. We know we have an obligation to help our communities stay resilient through this time.”
During the Tuesday conference, Rich provided some additional details for the relief program. He said that, although they haven’t disconnected any residential customers since the pandemic started, disconnecting small businesses has resumed this month.
“For customers that meet certain income qualifications, we are expanding this particular outreach for customers that are up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level,” Rich said. “Customers who are uniquely impacted by this and may not meet those eligibility requirements, our efforts are going to be ongoing through the month of October to identify the amount of customers we can assist, and make those forgiveness efforts we are coordinating.”
A business could receive up to $5,000 in forgiveness funds, and a residential customer could receive up to $500, Rich added.
