DES MOINES, Iowa Ð MidAmerican Energy Company and Iowa community action agencies that distribute financial assistance to Iowa having difficulty paying utility bills are encouraging utility customers to contact them for additional help.
Last December MidAmerican provided additional $3.5 million to the fund that the Iowa assistance agencies use to help customers who qualify for low-income home energy assistance program funding. Te additional money was directed to the I CARE program by the Iowa Utilities Board as a result of its approval of an agreement between the Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Advocate and MidAmerican Energy. The agreement provides for unused insurance proceeds related to the environmental cleanup of former manufactured gas plants to be contributed to the I CARE program.
“Approximatley half of MidAmerican Energy’s $3.5 million contribution to Iowa community action agencies remains available for families that meet low-income home energy assistance program eligibility guidelines, said Teresa Anderson, the manager of credit and remittance operations for MidAmerican Energy who also works with agencies who distribure I CARE funds.
I CARE helps customers who are unemployed, living on fixed or low incomes, or experiencing a family crisis by helping pay their heating bills or making their homes more energy efficient. Customers and employees of MidAmerican Energy Company donated more than $288,000 in 2005 to the I CARE heating assistance fund, the highest level of contributions since 2001. I CARE funding comes from donations made by customers and a 25-cent match by MidAmerican. These tax-deductible donations help local community action agencies provide valuable financial assistance. All donations are administered by an agency in the area where the contribution originated.
“We want to work with our customers who are concerned about not being able to pay their MidAmerican Energy bill,” Anderson said. “Payment agreements to customers who are making a good faith effort to pay but circumstances beyond their control have resulted in a default on the first payment agreement.
“Disconnecting a customer’s utility service is always our last resort and only occurs when other options have been exhausted,” Anderson said.
Customers can make contributions to I CARE anytime by simply adding $1, $2, $3, $4 or $5 (whole dollar amounts only) to their monthly MidAmerican Energy bill. The overpayment will automatically be applied to I CARE. Donations greater than $5 can be made by filling out a pledge form electronically through MidAmerican’s Web site at www.midamericanenergy.com or calling MidAmerican toll free at 888-427-5632 for details.