Jun 17, 2022   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Reliant Supports Texans as Summer Heat Kicks In

The summer of 2022 is shaping up to be one for the record books with extreme heat and double-digit inflation. To help Texas electricity customers feel informed and prepared as temperatures continue to rise, Reliant is rolling out a suite of supportive customer tools and community programs designed to keep Texans safe, cool and ready for the hot months ahead.

“We know Texans are concerned about rising costs affecting all areas of life, and we are doing everything we can to support our customers and help keep their electricity bills from becoming another source of stress this summer,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president of Reliant. “We encourage customers to understand the factors that influence their electricity bill and take an active role in managing their usage this summer. We’re also committed to supporting our most vulnerable neighbors with critical community resources.”

The following summer plan, programs and support from Reliant include:

Seasonal Savings

  • The new Reliant Seasonal Savings plan, which provides some peace of mind for customers who would like to balance out seasonal bill spikes and lessen the impact of increased summer usage, cuts the energy charge in half for both the summer (June, July & August) and winter (December, January & February) months. This allows a customer’s bill to be more balanced throughout the year, even though they use substantially more energy during the summer and winter when temperatures are at their most extreme.

Customer Support

  • Community Assistance by Reliant Energy (CARE): The CARE program helps customers who are facing financial hardship pay their electricity bills through local agency assistance, made possible by both Reliant and customer contributions. This summer, Reliant is increasing its CARE funding commitment to $1 million to directly support customers across Texas.
  • Flexible payment options: Average billing can be added to an electricity plan to even out the highs and lows of seasonal changes and make it easier for customers to manage a monthly budget. For those needing greater bill payment assistance, we encourage customers to contact us directly to discuss available solutions, such as deferred payment plans and payment extensions. A new option this year is using Zirtue to allow friends or family to help.
  • 24/7 customer support: Reliant prioritizes giving everyone access to the electricity they need to live comfortably. Anyone shopping for a new electricity plan or concerned about summer bills is encouraged to call 1-866-222-7100 so customer care agents can discuss their options and tailor an approach that best fits their lifestyle. Reliant is available 24/7 via live phone support, online chat or on the Reliant app.

Community Programming

  • Statewide Beat the Heat Centers: In partnership with city governments and local health departments, Reliant is opening 27 Beat the Heat Centers across the state to provide a safe place for seniors and other vulnerable neighbors to cool off, allowing them to decrease their energy usage at home. Many locations also provide curbside pick-up with resources to keep cool at home. To see a full list of Beat the Heat Centers, visit reliant.com/beattheheat.
  • Portable AC Unit Donations: Across Houston, Dallas and Corpus Christi, Reliant is donating over $150,000 to fund the distribution of more than 500 personal cooling devices, including portable ACs and Artic Air coolers, to help keep seniors and vulnerable residents safe and cool inside their own homes.

Energy Management

  • Saving energy: By proactively managing energy usage, customers can stay in control of their electricity bill as hot weather drives seasonal bill spikes. Small lifestyle changes, such as avoiding activities that generate heat during the hottest times of day, can help conserve energy and costs. For more summer energy efficiency tips, visit reliant.com/summertips.
  • Earn rewards: The Reliant Degrees of Difference program rewards customers for reducing energy usage during periods of high electricity demand. Customers with select smart thermostats can receive a $25 bill credit when they enroll to have their temperature adjusted by no more than four degrees during designated periods. Customers always remain in control and can manually adjust their thermostat if needed. Customers with manual thermostats are also rewarded for using less electricity than normal during specified reduction periods. For more information, visit reliant.com/degrees.
  • Real time energy management: Customers can take control and actively manage their energy habits with the Reliant app. The usage tracker is designed to eliminate surprises by monitoring spikes and trends over the last seven days, including the option to receive alerts and estimate usage and budget.

For more information on any of these programs, visit reliant.com/summer.

About Reliant

Reliant powers, protects and simplifies life by bringing electricity, security and related services to homes and businesses across Texas. Serving customers and the community is at the core of what we do, and the company is recognized nationally for outstanding customer experience. Reliant is part of NRG, a Fortune 500 company that creates value by generating electricity and providing energy solutions to nearly 6 million residential, small business and commercial customers across the U.S. and Canada. NRG’s competitive residential electricity business, which includes Reliant, is one of the largest in the country. For more information about Reliant, visit reliant.com and connect with Reliant on Facebook at facebook.com/reliantenergy and Twitter or Instagram @reliantenergy. PUCT Certificate #10007.