News Release > Sheltering at Home Can Increase Energy Bills; Here’s How to Get Help

Sheltering at Home Can Increase Energy Bills; Here’s How to Get Help

03/27/2020

NEW ORLEANS – With schools closed and many workers temporarily unemployed or telecommuting due to the coronavirus pandemic, many families have a full house during times the home would normally be empty. The result is often an increased demand for energy to fuel daily lives, and that can quickly lead to a higher-than-normal energy bill.

The best way to manage this increase in energy use is to follow simple energy-saving tips, including regularly replacing HVAC filters, insulating doors and windows, and keeping your home temperature at 78 degrees. For every degree above or below the recommended seasonal temperature, your bill can increase by as much as 3%. But if a high bill has already arrived, there are ways you can get help managing your costs or even paying your bill.

Here are three more ways to manage through the higher costs of powering your home:

• Level Billing - Entergy averages your bill over a rolling 12-month period so you have a consistent bill each month of the year. Pay about the same every month, with no surprises. 
• Pick-A-Date - Choose what day of the month you get billed to line up with your budget and manage your cash flow.
• Power to Care - Through Entergy's The Power to Care program, local nonprofit agencies can provide emergency bill payment assistance to seniors and disabled individuals in crisis.

Working with their regulators, Entergy’s utilities in Louisiana temporarily suspended disconnections for nonpayment. However, Entergy encourages customers to make payments on their accounts and will work directly with customers to make payment arrangements if they are unable to pay in full. Customers requiring such arrangements should call 1-800-ENTERGY (800-368-3749) or visit myAccount.

In addition, to help working families experiencing financial hardships as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the Entergy Charitable Foundation has established the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. Entergy shareholders are committing $700,000 to the fund to help qualifying customers with basic needs such as food, rent and mortgage aid, and other critical needs until financial situations become more stable. Grants from the fund will be made available to United Way organizations and other nonprofit partners across Entergy’s service area that are providing services to impacted households.

If you think you’re going to need help with your power bill, don’t delay. Call Entergy’s customer service representatives at 1-800-Entergy (1-800-368-3749) to see what solution might be right for you.

Entergy New Orleans, LLC is an electric and gas utility that serves Louisiana’s Orleans Parish. The company provides electricity to more than 200,000 customers and natural gas to more than 108,000 customers. Entergy New Orleans, LLC is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation.

Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers and natural gas service to more than 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area. With operations in southern, central and northern Louisiana, the company is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation.

Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) 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 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of $11 billion and approximately 13,600 employees.

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