Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. has free services to help low-income and fixed-income customers in northeastern Pennsylvania keep their homes warmer and reduce their energy bills.
PP&L's Winter Relief Assistance Program (WRAP) and Keep Warm Program provide energy-saving home improvements and energy education services at no cost to people who meet the programs' income requirements.
"WRAP and Keep Warm are companion efforts that meet an important community need," explained Florence McNelis, PP&L customer relations representative for northeastern Pennsylvania. "We are helping people stay warmer in winter and manage their budget by lowering energy costs."
Wendy Lynn of Hawley has seen her electricity bill decrease by $40 to $50 a month in the winter since WRAP improvements were made to her home in 1995.
"I live in an older home with electric heat. It was so drafty that in winter you could see the curtains move as the cold air blew in," she said. "Since WRAP, there are no drafts in the house."
She received attic insulation, caulking, weatherstripping and other energy improvements. Not only has her electricity bill dropped, she is using much less wood in her supplemental wood stove.
"I used to go through four cords of wood in a typical winter. This winter, I've used less than a cord," she said. "I couldn't be more happy with the WRAP services I received from PP&L."
So happy, in fact, that she told a friend about PP&L's programs. Her friend also qualified for free weatherization services.
WRAP has helped more than 32,000 PP&L customers since it began in 1985 as the state's first utility-run energy assistance program, said Richard R. Beasley, PP&L community development director for the Scranton area. WRAP is the model for a number of similar utility and community outreach programs nationwide.
"In winter, high energy costs force some low-income and fixed-income customers to decide whether to heat or eat. WRAP and Keep Warm help people avoid that dilemma. They can be comfortable and spend less money," Beasley noted.
"The programs also benefit PP&L," he added, "because customers are less likely to fall behind in their electricity bill payments if the cost is affordable."
PP&L uses local community agencies and organizations to carry out the home improvement work. These individuals are highly skilled professionals. In addition, trained energy educators show customers ways to stay warmer and save money. Customers with electric heat receive a personal energy-savings plan.
Weatherization services are available to PP&L customers at least 18 years old who meet income requirements and own or rent a house or apartment that has an individual electric meter.
WRAP and Keep Warm apply to primary residences only, not to second homes or vacation homes. The house or apartment must have electric heat to qualify for weatherization services or an electric water heater to qualify for water heating conservation measures.
PP&L customers may find out if they qualify for WRAP or Keep Warm by calling toll-free 1-800-342-5775 (1-800 DIAL PPL).
Income requirements for PP&L's WRAP and Keep Warm programs are as follows:
Family Size |
WRAP Income Limit |
Keep Warm Income Limit |
1 |
$968/month |
$1,290/month |
2 |
$1,295/month |
$1,727/month |
3 |
$1,623/month |
$2,163/month |
4 |
$1,950/month |
$2,600/month |
5 |
$2,278/month |
$3,037/month |
6 |
$2,605/month |
$3,473/month |