SEQUIM — Clallam County Public Utility District has overhauled its low-income energy assistance program, bringing its operations in-house and hiring a staff member to work with applicants and conduct community outreach.
Ken Hays, PUD board president and District 1 commissioner, said via email that those who qualify for help receive monthly credits on their bills, lowering their cost of electricity.
Customers can submit an application for assistance at clallampud.net/low-income-energy-assistance-program.
The site includes frequently asked questions to assist customers.
Cindy Kimble was recently hired as the PUD’s customer and community outreach programs coordinator. She can be reached at 360-565-3434. The PUD’s Carlsborg office, 104 Hooker Road in Sequim, can be reached at 360-452-9771.
No documentation is required at the time of applying, but customers have the option to do so.
PUD staff said a small, random selection of applications will be required to complete a post-enrollment verification within 90 days. If documentation is sufficient, applicants can be omitted from the post-enrollment verification process, staff members said.
Those who qualify will receive a monthly bill discount depending on how much of their monthly income is spent on energy costs. Income guidelines are on the PUD’s website and available from staff.
Hays said with staff “managing the program in-house, we are better able to directly engage with our customers, fostering one-on-one interactions that allow us to collect essential information to better support the long-term success of the program, which is required by the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA).”
Voters formed Clallam County PUD in 1940. In addition to electricity, it offers water and sewer services and, starting in 2000, with authorization from the Legislature, wholesale telecommunications.
