MINNEAPOLIS – September 25, 2008 – CenterPoint Energy representatives are teaming up with local energy assistance agencies to bring a Community Outreach Program to customers to help guide them and provide options for paying their natural gas bill beginning October 1st at designated community center locations. When customers visit one of the sessions, they will receive personal one on one help from a CenterPoint Energy representative who will talk with them about their situation and discuss payment plans and programs they may qualify for. CenterPoint Energy customers will also have an opportunity to meet with Community Action representatives to receive help completing energy assistance applications. Over 150,000 customers still owe over 47 million dollars in past due bills.
“We recognize the needs of our customers,” said David Baker, division vice president of regional operations for CenterPoint Energy. “We believe that it is our job to lend a helping hand and that this joint effort will help our customers restore their disconnected service and prevent disconnections prior to the cold-weather season.”
Customers will have the opportunity to meet with Minneapolis Community Action, an energy assistance program agency, to complete energy assistance applications and CenterPoint Energy representatives to discuss payment plan options, such as the unique pilot program called the gas affordability program (GAP) which is designed to help qualifying customers lower their monthly gas bills and pay past due balances. Customers must have an active Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) guarantee or have received a LIHEAP grant for the current heating season to qualify for the program. If qualified and accepted into the program, customers can receive credits on their monthly natural gas bill.
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Customers should bring their most recent CenterPoint Energy bill and annual or past three months household income verification to the desired location. These documents are required for the application process. Customers who are unable to attend during the scheduled times are encouraged to call CenterPoint Energy at 1-612-372-4680 or visit us on the web at www.centerpointenergy.com/paybill.
CenterPoint Energy will be available in the following locations on the dates indicated:
| MEETINGS AT COMMUNITY ACTION LOCATIONS | |
| Mon.-Thurs., Oct 1-30 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 612-335-5837 Community Action of Minneapolis 2104 Park Ave. S. | Tues. & Thurs. only, Oct 2-30 1 to 4:30 p.m. 952-930-3541 Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin 33 10th Ave. S., Hopkins |
| MEETINGS AT SITES AROUND THE AREA | |
| Wed., Oct. 1, 5 to 8 p.m. Matthews Park Building 2318 29th Ave. S. | Wed., Oct. 1, 5 to 8 p.m. Sabathani Community Center 310 E. 38th St. |
| Mon., Oct. 6, 5 to 8 p.m. Folwell Park 1615 Dowling Ave N. | Tues., Oct. 7, 5 to 8 p.m. Jordan New Life Community Church 1922 25th Ave. N. |
| Wed., Oct. 8, 5 to 8 p.m. Lynnhurst Community Center 1345 W. Minnehaha Pkwy. | Thurs., Oct. 9, 5 to 8 p.m. Nokomis Library 5100 34th Ave. S |
| Fri., Oct. 10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Westminster Presbyterian Church 1200 Marquette Ave. | Mon., Oct. 13, 5 to 8 p.m. Andersen School, 2726 12th Ave. S. (Use main entrance on Andersen Lane) |
| Thurs., Oct. 16, 5 to 8 p.m. Eastside Neighborhood Services 1700 2nd St. N.E. | Tues., Oct. 21, 5 to 8 p.m. Pearl Park 414 Diamond Lake Rd. E. |
Call CenterPoint Energy now at 1-612-372-4680 or 1-800-729-6164 to make a payment in full or make a payment arrangement, or visit the company’s Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com/paybill. If customers are interested in helping others pay their bill, they can support the Salvation Army’s HeatShare program. Visit www.Heatshare-MN.org to make a donation.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Assets total over $17 billion. With about 8,600 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 130 years. In Minnesota, CenterPoint Energy is the state’s largest natural gas distribution utility, serving nearly 790,000 customers in 260 communities. The utility also operates a non-regulated business in Minnesota called Home Service Plus®. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.
