For the Reporter

More than $5 million dollars are still available to help income-eligible Puget Sound Energy customers pay their energy bills.

The financial assistance comes from PSE’s Home Energy Lifeline Program (HELP) to eligible customers in Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties who need assistance paying their PSE electric and natural gas bills.

Since the start of the year, 31,000 PSE customers have received a total of $13.8 million through PSE’s HELP.

“This assistance is available for customers who may need it, and we want to make sure they know about it,” said Greg Zeller, PSE director of Customer Care. “We are encouraging anyone who is income-eligible to contact their community agency to apply for this available assistance; they are expecting you.”

The 11 regional community action agencies that process bill-payment assistance applications for PSE customers report they are ready to help thousands of additional households throughout the summer. Depending on income and household size, a qualified PSE customer can receive up to $1,000 in PSE utility-bill credits.

To make an appointment to ask for HELP assistance, PSE customers can find the community-action agency nearest them by calling 1-866-223-5425 or viewing a list of agencies on pse.com/assistance.