News Release > Entergy Mississippi Advocates for Energy Assistance for Low-Income Customers

Entergy Mississippi Advocates for Energy Assistance for Low-Income Customers

02/29/2016

LIHEAP Action Day in Washington, D.C. helps raise awareness of need

JACKSON, Mississippi – During LIHEAP Action Day March 2, Entergy Mississippi representatives and community partners will make the case for increased funding of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The funding goal is at least $4.7 billion for 2017.

Face-to-face meetings with congressional leaders on Capitol Hill will address the need for better funding for hot-weather states through the federal program. Advocates will also highlight the current method of distributing available funds, which leaves many families in the hottest, poorest states struggling to meet heating and cooling costs.

LIHEAP funding has dropped by a third from $5.1 billion in 2009 to $3.4 billion today. This reduction limits the level of assistance available to more than 3.8 million qualifying households in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas – the four states in which Entergy’s customers live.

Restoring funding could result in an estimated $450 million in assistance for thousands of qualifying households in Entergy’s utility service area. In 2015, these states received an estimated $210 million from LIHEAP.  Mississippi residents received $28.9 million. Within Entergy Mississippi’s service territory, more than 25,800 families were helped.

“The $240 million difference reflects the magnitude of need that cannot currently be met unless Congress properly funds and distributes the LIHEAP dollars,” said Amy Reed, Entergy Mississippi customer service specialist. “Participating in LIHEAP Action Day is one of the many ways we power life for our customers, including those in need.”

Read more about Entergy’s low-income initiatives here.

Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 442,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $11.5 billion and more than 13,000 employees.

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