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Maryland EUSP Evaluation Released

An evaluation of Maryland’s Electric Universal Service Program (EUSP) presenting the results of process and impact evaluations conducted from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2006 was completed by PA Consulting group in May.

The EUSP is a ratepayer-funded program that provides electric bill payment and arrearage retirement assistance to households earning less than 175 percent of federal poverty guidelines.  Operated in coordination with the Maryland LIHEAP, during SFY 2007 the program spent about $46 million (including state funds) providing bill payment and arrearage assistance to over 84,000 households.

Among the conclusions of the evaluation:

• The program is reaching and helping households with some of the most severe needs.
  
  
• New or recent participants in the program don’t exhibit improved bill payment behaviors and probably can’t respond with improved bill payment behaviors in the short term because they have other substantial needs.
  
  
• Participants continuing in the program show improvements in bill payment behavior.
  
  
• The annual growth in eligible applicants served since 2001 is 48 percent.
  
  
• High participant satisfaction was shown with the budget billing and arrearage component of the program as well as with the application process.

Among recommendations for improvements, the evaluation said program administrators should explore ways to increase program retention of eligible households from year to year and strengthen program processes that will improve the equitable distribution of EUSP benefits across the state.

Source: Maryland Public Service Commission

Page Last Updated: January 27, 2010