The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) on January 18 approved $5 million to provide bill payment assistance for low-income senior citizens who are natural gas customers in the Atlanta Gas Light Company (AGLC) distribution area.
The Commission directed that the money be allocated from the natural gas Universal Service Fund (USF). Atlanta Gas Light Company and the natural gas marketers will receive $4 million to be used as a line item credit titled “Georgia PSC Credit”, on qualified senior citizens' bills. The remaining $1 million will be distributed to the Salvation Army to provide additional relief.
The Georgia General Assembly originally established the USF in the Natural Gas Deregulation Act of 1997 to fund natural gas pipeline extensions in the Atlanta Gas Light Company service area and charged the Commission with administering and managing the fund.
In 2002 the Legislature passed amendments that allow the USF to be used to provide assistance to low-income natural gas customers in the AGLC delivery area. Since the inception of the USF, the PSC has allocated close to $100 million for customer refunds and low-income assistance.
The PSC last allocated money for low-income natural gas customers in February 2008, providing $6.6 million in funds from the USF for assistance with natural gas bills.
For more information, see the LIHEAP Clearinghouse overview.
Source: GA PSC
