Summer heat is here, and some people, such as seniors, individuals experiencing temporary hardships and families with low income, may need extra help paying their energy bills, especially during the hotter summer season.  

During Home Energy Aid Month in July, OG&E encourages customers who may have a difficult time paying their energy bill to learn about the company’s assistance programs to see if they qualify. 

"We know the summer months can be difficult for some of our customers to pay their electric bill,” said Kelli Hayward Walsh, OG&E Community Outreach & Engagement Manager. “Our customers have a long history of joining with OG&E to help one another out through Lend-A-Hand, and we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with other organizations in the community to meet our customers’ needs.” 

OG&E’s financial aid, energy saving programs and payment options include: 

• Silver Energy Discount gives qualified Oklahoma seniors age 65+ who enroll in any SmartHours plan a $10 monthly credit in June through October and a $5 monthly credit for all other months of the year. That's $85 in savings each year. 
• Weatherization and home energy efficiency programs provide customers with upgrades to their homes that reduce energy usage and lower bills at no out-of-pocket cost. Homeowners and renters alike may be eligible for these programs. 
• Low-Income Assistance Program (LIAP) gives qualified OG&E customers a $13 per month credit on their bill. 
• Direct financial assistance from OG&E to nonprofit organizations for qualifying customers in our service area who need help paying their energy bills.  

“There’s been times that it’s been really rough,” commented one OG&E customer in a recent survey. "[OG&E] has been able to work with me and help me out. They have good programs where I can be able to pay my bill and not worry about my service being disconnected." 

In addition to the programs directly offered by OG&E, the company is partnering with local nonprofits like the Oklahoma City Archdiocesan Council of St. Vincent de Paul, the Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance, the Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency, KIBOIS Community Action in southeast Oklahoma, and the Crawford-Sebastian Community Development Council in western Arkansas to provide more than $100,000 this summer to help OG&E customers pay their energy bills. OG&E and its community partners offer several programs for customers experiencing hardships. 

OG&E’s Lend-A-Hand program provides energy bill assistance from OG&E customers and company donations. The program, administered by The Salvation Army, allows OG&E customers to donate money when they pay their OG&E bill that is distributed to qualified customers who need help paying their bills throughout the year.  

“I have had a great experience with OG&E. I have not seen outages in my home and have prices that are affordable,” replied another customer in a company survey. “I appreciate the payment programs that help you out if you can't quite pay the bill in full and need a little extra time. That takes away some stress.” 

Visit OGE.com/Assistance to learn more about how you or someone you know can get help with your electric bill. 

OG&E, a subsidiary of OGE Energy Corp., provides our customers in Oklahoma and western Arkansas with the safe, reliable electricity needed to power their businesses and homes with some of the nation's lowest electric rates. We are committed to generating and delivering electricity, protecting the environment, and providing excellent service to approximately 900,000 customers. Our employees live, work, and volunteer in the communities we serve. For more information about OG&E, visit us at OGE.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.