Universal Service Fund Electric Partnership Program

Ohio's Electric Partnership Program (EPP) Receives National Honor!

The Electric Partnership Program (EPP) Impact Evaluation report has been finalized. See the final edition below:

As part of Ohio's electric industry restructuring act (Senate Bill 3), a Universal Service Fund (USF) was established to serve low-income residents who have high electricity usage. USF's Electric Partnership Program (EPP) is designed to improve the electric efficiency of low-income households who participate in PIPP (Percentage of Income Payment Plan) by performing in-home audits and installing appropriate electric base load and thermal energy efficiency measures. Consumer education that helps PIPP participants get the most benefit from their electricity while learning ways to lower the amount of it they use is an integral part of the service delivery to every household.

The USF EPP is managed by the Ohio Department of Development's Office of Energy Efficiency and began operations in March 2002.

Every resident enrolled in electric PIPP is eligible for the USF EPP. However, the focus will be on helping those PIPP customers that use the most energy. Customers who are enrolled in electric PIPP and have high energy use compared with other electric PIPP enrollees will be contacted by an authorized provider of USF EPP services.

The USF EPP is composed of two types of programs:

1) A base load efficiency program which audits lighting, appliances and all other uses of electricity not related to heating and installs appropriate measures; and,

2) A weatherization program for those who heat with electricity and who have moderate to high usage. This program adds insulation, performs heating system inspections and addresses health & safety measures.

Each program will include an education component. The education component will vary in intensity depending on the PIPP customer's electric consumption and other factors. Education will be in the form of one of the following:

1. In-home Visits;
2. Workshops;
3. Materials by Mail.

USF EPP services will be available only to those residents eligible for PIPP (Percentage of Income Payment Plan) and living in the service territory of one of these Ohio investor owned electric companies:

• American Electric Power
• Duke Energy (formerly CINergy)
• Dayton Power and Light
• First Energy

EPP Policy & Procedures Manual

EPP Authorized Providers

For more information, please Contact US.