Washington, DC

(Washington, DC) Today the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (Commission) joins various District agencies and utilities for “Outreach Day” to inform the public about utility discount programs available to District electricity, natural gas, local telecommunication, and water customers and the work of the Utility Discount Program Working Group that helps to promote these important programs for low-income residents of the District of Columbia.  Representatives of these District agencies and utilities will be on-hand today at metro stations, churches, senior centers and social service agencies throughout the District promoting and answering questions about the four utility discount programs available to District consumers.

The District of Columbia’s four Utility Discount Programs are:

• Residential Essential Service (RES) Program:  Eligible Washington Gas customers in the District of Columbia may qualify for a discount on a portion of the natural gas they use during the winter heating season from November to April.
• Residential Aid Discount (RAD) Program: Eligible Pepco Standard Offer Service customers in the District of Columbia may qualify for a discount on a portion of the electricity they use.
• Economy II Lifeline:  Eligible Verizon customers may qualify for discounted landline telephone service.
• Customer Assistance Program (CAP): Eligible DC Water customers in the District of Columbia may qualify for a discount on water and sewer services used each month.

The Utility Discount Program Working Group established by Commission Order No. 16615, is a consortium of District agencies and utilities responsible for promoting the availability of electric, natural gas, telecommunications, and water utility discount programs for low-income residents of the District of Columbia.  The working group is comprised of The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, The District’s Department of the Environment, The Office of the People’s Counsel, DC Water, Pepco, Verizon, DC, and Washington Gas. 

Our DC “Outreach Day” occurs during “National Telephone Discount Lifeline Awareness Week” held annually from September 8th to 14th in partnership with the Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

Chairman Betty Ann Kane commends the Utility Discount Program Working Group for its outreach efforts, stating that “The DC Public Service Commission will join state utility commissions around the country to promote the value and necessity of utility discount programs for our low income consumers. These programs provide critical utility services at discount prices.  We welcome this opportunity to make these programs known to the individuals that they are intended to serve.”

To find out about eligibility and to apply for a utility discount program, please call the District’s Department of Energy’s  Energy Office at 711 or visit their website at green.dc.gov/udp.