BlastPoint, the customer behavioral intelligence layer for utilities, will host a roundtable on "How Utilities Turn Past-Due Customers Into Energy Assistance Enrollments This Winter" on December 10 at 12PM ET.
Hosted by Tomer Borenstein, the session will feature a timely conversation with Melissa Troye of Puget Sound Energy, Kathrine Long of PG&E and EJ Schuck of Duquesne Light. Each will share how their utility approaches connecting past-due customers with energy assistance.
Early action makes the difference
Winter is when heating costs and disconnections put more households at risk. The early days of a past-due balance are when utilities have the most room to help, and public data shows how often that window closes without resolution:
- Small balances, lasting problems. In BlastPoint's analysis, 92% of first late-bill notices go out when the balance is under $500, yet 37% of those customers are still not current by day 90.
- Heating costs are moving in different directions. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Winter Fuels Outlook, average November-to-March household spending on heating costs will fluctuate.
- Higher costs for many households. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) projects the average winter heating cost at $1,030, up $82 or 8.7%.
- Federal assistance is uncertain. Funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was about $4.0 billion for fiscal year 2026, and the final 10% was delayed in reaching states until April 20. The administration's fiscal year 2027 budget proposes eliminating the program, which NEADA says would impact about 6 million households.
- Disconnections are widespread. EIA's 2024 Residential Utility Disconnections Report, released in April 2026, counted 15.1 million residential utility disconnections for nonpayment in 2024. Further, an individual account can be disconnected more than once in a year.
Join this timely conversation
Learn more and register for the roundtable.
Sources: BlastPoint analysis; U.S. Energy Information Administration, Winter Fuels Outlook (Oct. 6, 2026); NEADA; Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding updates; U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2024 Residential Utility Disconnections Report (April 2026).
BlastPoint is an AI-driven customer intelligence platform that helps businesses better understand, reach, and serve their customers. By providing predictive insights and actionable data, BlastPoint empowers companies to increase engagement, improve operational efficiency, and drive equitable customer experiences. BlastPoint works with industry leaders in energy and finance to build a more customer-centric future. For more information, visit www.blastpoint.com.
