Widespread recommendations to stay home amid the public health emergency have many area residents anxious about balancing unforeseen energy expenses with the desire for a comfortable home. As the country continues to navigate these uncertain times, Atmos Energy reminds customers struggling to pay their monthly natural gas bill that payment options and financial assistance are available.
To help those experiencing financial hardship, Atmos Energy has temporarily suspended natural gas disconnections for non-payment and offer payment installment plans. In addition, financial help is available through local assistance agencies, said Jeff Martinez, Atmos Energy vice president of customer service.
“We encourage customers who are struggling to contact us. Making a partial payment will help you avoid building up a large balance that will be harder to pay off later,” Martinez said.
Additional federal assistance funds have been released due to COVID-19 through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), in addition to Atmos Energy’s Sharing the Warmth funds. Sharing the Warmth is a program that leverages the generosity of customer donations with additional contributions by Atmos Energy to amplify the amount of assistance offered. Atmos Energy then partners with local agencies to offer program funds to eligible customers.
Atmos Energy also offers installment plans that spread out payments of the total balance over time. During this time, there are no added charges or fees. To set up an installment plan, visit www.atmosenergy. com, log into the Atmos Energy Account Center and select the Payment Assistance tab, or call the Atmos Energy customer service team at 888-286-6700 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.