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PGW OFFICES WILL CLOSE ON THANKSGIVING DAY

PGW extends appreciation to essential workers and recommends health and kitchen safety tips

PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 25, 2020) – Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, 2020. All gas odors or any gas-related emergency should be immediately reported to PGW’s 24-hour Emergency Hotline at 215-235-1212. PGW offices will resume normal business hours on Friday, November 27, 2020.
 

This Thanksgiving, PGW offers its gratitude and appreciation for our local first responders, health care personnel, essential workers, and all those committed to providing safety, health services and vital information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Entering a holiday season that will look and feel different this year, PGW encourages customers, employees, and communities to put safety first by following the guidelines of local, state and national health officials to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. These guidelines include limiting indoor gatherings to immediate family members, social distancing, wearing masks, and practicing proper hygiene.

We know all chefs prefer to cook with natural gas, so PGW also recommends these kitchen safety tips while preparing a Thanksgiving meal:

• Never leave the kitchen while cooking. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
• Before cooking, remove any food or grease from the oven, burners, and stovetop. Leftover food and/or grease can easily catch fire from the smallest spark.
• Remove flammables such as towels, oven mitts and food packaging away from the stove top.
• Prevent burns by using oven mitts or potholders to handle pots and pans.
• Use the stove’s back burners to keep grease splashes and boiling liquids away from your body.
• Keep children at least three feet away from the stove.
• Clear the kitchen floor to eliminate any tripping hazards while carrying a hot pot or dish.
• Clean any areas, dishes, or utensils that contacted raw meat and wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
• Make sure smoke alarms are working by pushing the test button.

PGW wishes our customers and employees a very safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving. And to support Philadelphia families in need this year, visit the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey https://www.unitedforimpact.org/.

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PGW OFFERS HELP FOR CUSTOMERS WITH THEIR ENERGY BILLS

PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 19, 2020) – Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) is urging low-income customers who have fallen behind on their bills to call 215-235-1000 for information about PGW’s robust payment assistance programs and payment arrangement options. With winter approaching, and as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, help is available for PGW customers to stay current on their energy bills and avoid taking on higher debt over the winter or service termination in the future.  

PGW offers its Customer Responsibility Program (CRP), which was recently modified to further reduce monthly bill amounts for certain low-income customers enrolled in the program. CRP helps low-income households better afford their bills and receive forgiveness of past debt. Based on household income, customers enrolled in CRP could pay as little as 4 percent of their monthly income on their PGW bill.

Earlier this month, PGW customers could begin applying for LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), a federal grant ranging from $200 to $1,000 that helps income-eligible families pay their heating bills and restore gas service. The grants are available to renters and homeowners, and do not have to be repaid.

“Customers use their natural gas appliances more in colder weather and tend to have higher bills in the winter months,” said Craig White, president and chief executive officer at PGW. “Given the challenging financial circumstances facing many of our customers, we want them to be aware of the help PGW provides so they can be proactive and stay current with their heating bills, avoid past-due balances and late fees, and maintain service.”

Several more payment assistance programs are available for PGW customers, including:

• Payment Arrangements: For PGW customers who fall behind.
• Budget Billing: Sets up a consistent pay amount each month of the year.
• UESF (Utility Emergency Services Fund): A grant designed to pay off the balance of a customer’s unpaid utility bill and bring it to $0.
• Customer Assistance Referral Evaluation Program (CARES): Provides referral assistance to residential customers with special circumstances. These might include medical emergencies, unemployment or other temporary hardships.

In addition to calling 215-235-1000, customers can find information on PGW’s payment assistance programs at pgworks.com/residential/customer-care/payment-assistance

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PGW RECOGNIZES UTILITY SCAM AWARENESS DAY

PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 18, 2020) – Today, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) joins Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) in recognizing Utility Scam Awareness Day, part of the week-long International Scam Awareness Week to educate customers and expose tactics used by scammers.

PGW reminds customers to always ask for identification before letting anyone claiming to be a utility worker enter their home or businesses. All PGW employees will have identification badges, arrive in official PGW vehicles with clearly visible PGW logos, and have PGW branded clothing. Customers suspicious about the identity of a PGW worker are urged to call 911 before allowing anyone into their home. The Philadelphia Police Department has a direct line to PGW and can verify if the person is an employee.

In addition, PGW will not ask customers for personal information or demand payment by phone or email. Customers suspicious of a telephone caller claiming to come from PGW should ask the caller to verify the customer’s account; ask the caller to verify the customer’s last payment; or ask for the name of the caller’s supervisor. Customers who remain suspicious can hang up and call PGW at 215-235-1000 to verify the call.

“With the economic and personal challenges our customers may be facing at this time, we do not want them to fall victim to bad actors and utility scams,” said Melanie McCottry, Vice President, Corporate Communications & External Affairs at PGW. “PGW takes customer safety very seriously. We care about our customers and their loved ones.”

UUAS, a consortium of more than 145 U.S. and Canadian electric, water, and natural gas utilities and their respective trade associations, continues to create awareness of common scams and new scam tactics being used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its work and with the help of customer reporting, UUAS has succeeded in taking nearly 9,500 toll-free numbers used by scammers against utility customers out of operation.

“It is no surprise that scammers have been seeking to exploit the heightened anxiety of people coping with the pandemic,” said UUAS Founder and Executive Committee Chairman Jared Lawrence. “I am proud to report that UUAS’ education efforts and utilities’ well-publicized customer testimonials have prevented a drastic increase in victims. However, the relentless attempts by these criminals make it clear that we must continue to actively work to protect our customers and to keep scammers from casting confusion on our pandemic recovery messages.”

Customers can find information about protecting personal data on The Federal Trade Commission’s website, at  www.utilitiesunited.org, or by following UUAS on Twitter and Facebook.

PGW’s “Imposter Awareness” page at pgworks.com/safety-reliability/imposter-awareness also has tips customers can use to identify PGW employees and protect their personal information.

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