GA PSC Allocates $6 Million for Low-Income Assistance

On October 4, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) approved a motion to transfer $6 million from the state's Universal Service Fund (USF) to the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR), the LIHEAP grantee.

The DHR will use the money to help low-income natural gas customers pay bills or deposits and supplement their LIHEAP grants. During FY 2004, the DHR reported spending about $6 million in USF funds that had been allocated to it by the PSC. It helped over 27,000 households with payments on their natural gas bills ranging from $174 to $220. The elderly and homebound were given priority for the first month of the program.

Since 2000, the PSC has disbursed more than $21 million from the Universal Service Fund, mostly through the DHR, to help low- income seniors and others pay their natural gas bills. The fund was set up under the 1997 law that deregulated natural gas service and is supported primarily by large industrial customers.

For more information, on the Georgia USF, see the LIHEAP clearinghouse website.

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia PSC

Page Last Updated: December 7, 2005