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UPPCO offers energy bill help

MARQUETTE — As winter approaches, Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO) is highlighting resources that may be available to assist residents with their monthly energy bills. These resources include the Upper Peninsula’s 2-1-1 Call Center, UPPCO’s new Energy Assistance, Self-sufficiency & Education program (EASE) and Michigan’s Home Heating Assistance program.

2-1-1 is administered by the Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress or UPCAP, a non-profit, charitable organization. The 2-1-1 Call Center helps Upper Peninsula residents locate essential services that may be available through community partners. “The 2-1-1 Call Center is a great resource that people can turn to for information and assistance for a child, aging parent or the entire family,” according to Brett French, UPPCO’s Vice President of Business Development and Communications. “2-1-1 can help simplify the process of finding help during a time of need. Customers can access information and assistance by dialing 2-1-1 from anywhere within the Upper Peninsula.”

UPPCO recently launched EASE to help income-qualified customers move to self-sufficiency while avoiding potential disruptions with their service due to non-payment. EASE provides participating customers with affordable monthly payments and financial assistance through Michigan Energy Assistance Programs (MEAP) and the Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund (LIEAF). Participating customers must make all monthly payments on time to remain eligible for EASE.

UPPCO is also highlighting Michigan’s Winter Protection Plan. The Plan helps senior citizens and income-eligible customers manage utility bills and prevent disconnections for the period of November 1, 2019, through March 31, 2020. Customers that are interested in the Winter Protection Plan should contact UPPCO for more information.

Customers can apply for assistance with their energy bills through MI Bridges on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) at https://michigan.gov/mibridges. DHHS will review each application to determine and establish a customer’s eligibility for assistance.

UPPCO customers can call (906) 449-2013 or 800-562-7680 to determine if they qualify for any of the assistance programs that are being offered. Additional information can be found online at www.uppco.com.

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