HOUSTON, July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Reliant Energy today
announced it is doubling its funding for low-income energy assistance
programs, including the CARE program, bringing the total contribution to $1
million in 2006. Over the last year, Reliant Energy has committed nearly $5
million to programs tailored to meet the needs of low-income customers.
"Reliant Energy is committed to improving the quality of life in the
communities where we do business," said Tracy Carmen-Jones, Reliant Energy,
vice president, community marketing. "We take our obligation to help our
low- income customers very seriously."
CARE, or Community Assistance by Reliant Energy, was created by the
company in 2002 to provide bill payment assistance to Reliant Energy
customers who are experiencing an extreme hardship, such as loss of income,
illness or emergency home repair, and are unable to pay their electricity
bill.
The program utilizes both corporate funds and contributions from
customers who add a dollar or more to their monthly electricity bill. Since
the program was initiated, CARE has provided $2.3 million to help Texans
keep their lights on. To access CARE or other energy assistance resources
in Texas, customers can call the United Way's 211 referral number.
To help low-income customers permanently lower their energy costs,
Reliant created a new program with Rebuilding Together Houston in 2005 to
provide energy efficiency improvements to the homes of low-income senior
and disabled Houstonians. Reliant funding for this program was increased to
$700,000 in 2006, and the program has been expanded to include the
Dallas/Fort Worth area as well through energy efficiency partnerships with
Rebuilding Together Greater Dallas.
In addition to the increased funding for energy assistance and
efficiency improvements, Reliant has joined forces with the City of Houston
to create nine "Beat the Heat" centers where residents can have fun, cool
off and save money during summer months. The centers are open from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, from June 1 through October 1. Reliant is
providing games, movies and snacks as well as transportation for those who
need it. For information or to arrange for a ride, call (713) 497-2711.
In addition to these programs, the company also has introduced
innovative pricing plans during the spring and summer, such as Heat Relief
and the 2006 and 2007 Secure Plans, allowing customers to realize savings
off the price-to-beat plan. For more information about Reliant products,
visit http://www.reliant.com .
Reliant Energy, Inc. (NYSE: RRI) based in Houston, Texas, provides
electricity and energy services to retail and wholesale customers in the
United States. In Texas, the company provides service to approximately 1.9
million retail electricity customers, including residential, small business
and commercial, industrial, governmental and institutional customers.
Reliant also serves commercial, industrial, governmental and institutional
customers in the PJM (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland) market.
The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the
nation with approximately 16,000 megawatts of power generation capacity
across the United States. These strategically located generating assets
utilize natural gas, fuel oil and coal. For more information, visit
http://www.reliant.com/corporate .
SOURCE Reliant Energy, Inc.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.reliant.com
http://www.reliant.com/corporate
CONTACT:
Pat Hammond, media, +1-713-497-7723, or
Dennis Barber, investors, +1-713-497-3042, both of Reliant
Energy, Inc.
|
