Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Help available for those struggling to pay energy bills

Weatherization Project

Yasmina Chavez

Laurence Rayborn, a specialist with Ruiter Construction LLC, helps remove old A/C ventilation air ducts from the attic during a weatherization project at Allen Ford’s home Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016. HELP teams up with contractors like Ruiter Construction LLC to assist NV Energy customers in low-income households with A/C repairs and upgrades. Were Rayborn to take on this kind of work by himself, he would need a permit.

Weatherization Project

Homeowner Allen Ford, left, stands by as Lashon Ford, an air conditioning specialist with Ruiter Construction LLC, loads up a work truck with old A/C ventilation air ducts during a weatherization project Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016.  HELP teams up with contractors like Ruiter Construction LLC to assist NV Energy customers in low-income households with A/C repairs and upgrades. Launch slideshow »

During three weeks of oppressive heat this summer, Alan Ford had no air conditioning. Ford’s friends offered him a portable unit, and a principal at the Clark County school where Ford works as a custodian lent him a second one. But those stopgaps were no match for the crushing indoor temperatures, which hit above 110 degrees.

Need help? Available utility assistance resources

• NV Energy’s Project REACH: Through the program, which stands for “Relief through Energy Assistance to prevent Customer Hardships,” NV Energy offers seniors and veterans a break on energy bills if their households fall under a certain gross annual income. Customers can apply for this bill assistance by attending an in-person event or calling any of the following agencies:

• Asian Community Resource Center: 702-706-6009

• Boys & Girls Club Family Resource Center: 702-932-1880

• Clark County Senior Advocates: 702-455-7051

• East Valley Family Service: 702-631-7098

• HELP of Southern Nevada: 702-369-4357, ext. 1124 or 1231

• Henderson Senior Center: 702-267-2956

• HopeLink: 702-566-0576, ext. 305 or 315

• Las Vegas Urban League: 702-636-3949

• Lutheran Social Services of Nevada: 702-639-1730

• Nevada HAND: 702-410-2707

• Salvation Army: 702-649-8240

• United Labor Agency of Nevada (ULAN): 702-648-3500

• HELP of Southern Nevada and Las Vegas Urban League: Both organizations provide programs to help low-income NV Energy customers reduce utility bills by offering efficiency upgrades and air conditioning repairs. Contact HELP at 702-836-2130 and the Urban League at 702-636-3949

• NV Energy payment plan: If a customer is having difficulty paying their electricity bill, the utility will often work out a payment plan. It also offers a fixed payment schedule. Contact NV Energy at 702-402-5555

“It was miserable,” Ford said, while his daughter and niece played outside his 1973 home near Chaparral High School. His air conditioning unit — about 40 years old — had died during a spate of triple-digit days. Fortunately, he had already applied for assistance from HELP of Southern Nevada, a nonprofit that provides repairs and cost-saving efficiency upgrades to low-income households.

After his system blew out, Ford was upgraded to HELP’s emergency list. On Aug. 4, workers were removing his existing ducts and installing a new air conditioning system.

An executive at HELP estimated that when the heat hits 100 degrees, the organization receives about eight to 10 calls for assistance every day. For households with annual incomes that fall below twice the federal poverty level (for a single person, that’s around $23,500), HELP provides services that can slash electricity bills by 20 to 40 percent. Other nonprofit agencies, such as the Las Vegas Urban League, provide similar programs.

“We’re overwhelmed right now,” HELP’s Jim Hutchinson said.

In the summer months, NV Energy said customers often triple their bills, but few go without power. Under state law, the utility cannot disconnect a customer because of non-payment when temperatures are forecast to surpass 105 degrees. But if customers were already struggling at the start of summer, by the end they could be looking at a bloated balance, and by the fall, thousands might see their service disconnected.

“If (customers) get behind, we want them to call us early and call us often,” said Michelle Follette, NV Energy’s vice president for customer service. “We don’t want them to wait all summer, get into the cooler weather and then worry about paying for a bill that is much larger.”

Going without air conditioning in Las Vegas during the hot season can be a health hazard, so much so that NV Energy must postpone termination of service if a physician, considering age, physical condition and mental state, determines that a lack of power would endanger a customer.

And the utility also has safeguards to prevent disconnections. On the first Saturday in August, thousands came to a four-hour NV Energy expo at the Cashman Center for a program that provides up to $350 in bill assistance for low-income seniors and veterans. NV Energy gives out about $350,000 in bill assistance, and third-party organizations help offset the problem.

“In the summertime, it’s particularly acute,” said Tony Sanchez, NV Energy’s vice president of government and community strategy.

One customer at the event, Tom, a 78-year-old part-time realtor who asked that his last name not be used, said that he had received a notice from NV Energy that his bill was overdue and that he might be disconnected. The large balance, he said, was a result of a high summer bill and was an anomaly for him. He stressed that he “didn’t really look for a handout” but was grateful that he had the program to fall back on.

In addition to bill assistance, NV Energy offers payment plans. “We work with everybody,” Sanchez said. “We’re not here to turn someone’s power off.”

The utility’s billing-related calls increase by about 30 percent in the summer, Follette said, emphasizing the importance of programs that give low-income households tools to upgrade cooling systems or make their houses more efficient. Third-part organizations like HELP provide assistance ranging from repairing broken windows to checking refrigerator performance.

After work on an unusually humid August day, Ford had his air conditioning back. He looked at his old unit and ducts dismantled in the back of a truck.

“That’s some 1970s duct right there,” one of the contractors said, tapping on the nearly five-foot pile of remains.

“As soon as they were done, I went straight to sleep. I haven’t felt cool like that in a while,” Ford said. “It’s a blessing. Trust me, it is.”

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy