BY DAVID MAMARIL HOROWITZ

david.horowitz@bgdailynews.com

 

Local utility companies shared advice about managing energy payments following the recent increase in residents’ bills due to high energy consumption during the past two months of winter weather.

Numerous service areas experienced record-low temperatures these past two months at Atmos Energy, whose Bowling Green office serves Warren County, Logan County and Simpson County. As a result, call volumes have spiked from customers inquiring about their bills, according to Atmos Energy.

The company recommended budget billing, which analyzes 12-month usage and billing to average out a monthly payment. To qualify, customers cannot have overdue payments or debt.

It’s a major benefit to enroll in budget billing during the spring to build credit for the winter months, the company’s media contact Kay Coomes said. She also advised having at least 12 months of payments with the company for the program to calculate a good average monthly amount.

Credit stays on customers’ accounts until they’re used up, and remaining credits are refunded when an account is closed, Coomes said.

A largely equivalent program is available at Bowling Green Municipal Utilities — levelized payments, which are based on the actual meter consumption of the current month and previous 11 months, BGMU Public Relations Specialist William Unseld said. The program smooths out heavy energy consumption in summer and winter, he said.

BGMU requires customers who enroll in the program to not have existing past-due balances and to avoid any late payments over a multi-month period. Calling a customer service representative at 270-782-1200 is the best way to enroll, he said.

Atmos Energy has installment plans and recommends that those interested speak to a customer service representative at its contact center to learn more.

Both utility companies also pointed to community action agencies, local organizations that support people experiencing poverty and can potentially provide financial assistance with energy bills.

Unseld advised that to connect with an agency that has funds available, people would do best to call the 211 help line. (The 211 line is free to the public and confidential. Regionally, it has a wait time of under 90 seconds and accesses more than 1,000 resources across myriad services, according to the nonprofit United Way of Southern Kentucky, which staffs the regional line.)

At BGMU, for example, such agencies include Community Action of Southern Kentucky, St. Vincent de Paul, Churches United and the BG-WC Welfare Center, Unseld said. Atmos Energy, meanwhile, works closely with Community Action of Southern Kentucky and Salvation Armies in several towns across its Kentucky coverage area, Coomes said.