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Memphis Light, Gas and Water: How To Get Help With Your Bills

Help With Your MLGW Bills: Behind on your bills or are you struggling to make ends meet? Don’t panic! We are to guide you on making your payment easy.

Help With Your MLGW Bills

We realize that some customers sometimes have extenuating circumstances that prevent the timely payment of utility bills. To help ease this burden, we’ve developed the following payment and assistance programs, as well as extension policies.

About MLGW

MLGW is the largest three-service municipal utility in the U.S. with more than 420,000 customers and is owned by the City of Memphis. Since 1939 the MLGW has provided electricity, natural gas, and water service for residents of Memphis and Shelby County.

MLGW is supplied with electricity by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a federal agency that sells electricity on a nonprofit basis to its distributors. MLGW is TVA’s largest customer, representing 11 percent of TVA’s total load. There are over 428,000 electric customers.

Natural gas is the most common means of residential heating in the MLGW service area. MLGW provides natural gas to more than 313,000 customers in Shelby County.

Utility Bill Assistance Programs From Memphis Gas and Light

From time to time people need some help or extra time to pay a utility bill. Memphis Gas and Light offers programs to help these customers.

Net Due Date Program

This is a program that delays the due date of your energy bill. It is for those people who receive receive only one check at the beginning of each month and/or who may be retired or living on a fixed income. These customers may be able to qualify for this plan.

In effect this program allows customers to delay the due date on your utility bill until after you have received your check, whether is retirement, pension, or government assistance check.

Extended Payment Plan

If you owe money on an older bill, Memphis Gas and Light may negotiate and work with you to establish a repayment plan of a past due utility bill in addition to establishing a plan to pay the regular monthly utility bill.

Prevent a disconnection from an Annual Moratorium on Cutoffs for Nonpayment

If you can’t pay your bill, MLGW will postpone or defer cutoffs of your service for nonpayment for all residential customers.

This program is in effect between December 15th and January 14th of each and every year, except in cases of on special, negotiated payment plans that you may have already agreed to.

MLGW Plus – 1

Customers, local businesses and others contribute to this program. The fact is that any one can, from time to time, face an unexpected emergency or some type of short term financial crisis.

This could be due to unforeseen events like a medical emergency, death in the family, reduction in hours or a job loss. The Plus-1 utility bill assistance program provides one-time cash grants or financial aid for utility assistance during such hardships.

Customers can also decide to contribute to the Plus-1 program.

Read Also:

MLGW Customers Could Get Shut-off Protection

Payment Arrangements

MLGW offers payment arrangements for customers who qualify for them. You will need to provide your information about income and household size.

The company may deny a payment arrangement request for any reason. If you have a shut-off notice, it’s important to make sure you apply for an arrangement as soon as you know you’re going to to need one.

OnTrack Program

The OnTrack program might be able to help people struggling to make their payments and get caught up with their MLGW bills. You will need to apply for OnTrack through MLGW to get approved for the program.

It could help you avoid shut-off and includes education on how to manage debt.

Holiday Bill Break

The holiday bill break could help you avoid shut-off during the holiday season. From December 15th to January 14th, the company halts all shut-offs. This does not exempt you from having to pay your bill, but it can help to keep the power on during the holidays!

Winter Moratorium

If you’re a senior or disabled and on a fixed income, you could get protection through the Winter Moratorium. The program helps keep the utilities on throughout the winter.

You will still have to pay the bill, but it might protect you from the elements during the cold winter months.

Share the Pennies

Share the Pennies is a resource that is run with non-profits and charities in the city. Memphis Gas collects donations for individuals and businesses, and all funds are then paid out to qualified low income and working poor families.

MLGW Provides Payment Options

Get a Due Date

If you’re on a fixed income or you receive disability, you might be able to get a due date to accommodate you. You can use the net due date to adjust it to the schedule of your disability check.

Doing this could make it easier for you to pay your bill when it’s due.

Prepay For Your Electric

To help yourself avoid shut-off and big fees, you could prepay for your electric. You start out by paying an amount that you can then use throughout the coming weeks.

You will get a notification from MLGW that the amount you prepaid is getting low so that you can re-up.

Budget Billing Program

The budget billing program helps you by making your bills close to the same from month to month. MLGW bases the bills on your last 12 months of service.

They use the total amount that you paid over that 12-month period and divide it evenly over the next 12 months. You must meet certain requirements to qualify for budget billing.

Lower Your Bill By Saving Energy

Weatherization Assistance

Using weatherization assistance, you can make your home more energy efficient. The program provides free upgrades to your home.

You might be able to get new insulation, better flooring and an upgraded HVAC system. The program is income-based. You’ll need to apply for it through your local assistance office.

EnergySmart Memphis

EnergySmart Memphis might be able to help you with other weatherization efforts. You could get help making upgrades to your home and that will allow you the chance to save money on your electric.

By making these improvements, EnergySmart gives you a chance to lower your bills!

Time of Use Rate

The Time of Use rate allows you to save money on your electric by using it more during off-peak hours. You’ll need to make sure you know when the peak hours are and use your electric less during that time.

The company rewards you for reducing the strain on the grid by making rates lower during off-peak hours.

FAQs

FAQs

1. How do I know if my meter is being read?

Your meter has been read unless indicated otherwise on your bill below each service listing, i.e. electricity, gas or water. See illustration to the right.

2. What happens if the meter reader makes a mistake?

There is a High/Low Audit feature built into the system to let the meter reader know if his/her reading is unusually high or low. In addition, MLGW’s Customer Accounts and Records department monitors meter readings. If the original reading is out of line with the previous reading, MLGW will conduct further investigation.

3. I don’t have my account number with me. How can I get it?

You can either call MLGW’s Customer Care Center at (901) 544-6549 or e-mail your request to [email protected]. Please be prepared to provide additional information about your account and residence for verification purposes.

We hope this article has been helpful for you. Please share it with anyone who you think will appreciate the information!

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