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PAYMENT & VENDORS

PURPOSE

The Trust requires participating agencies to pay only the amount for a past due energy bill or a bill due from an energy supplier before fuel will be delivered, once all points of eligibility are met.

APPROVED VENDORS

A list of approved vendors is provided by the Trust.  In the interim, payments may be made to vendors on Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs’ (ADECA’s) Approved Vendor List. 

Vendors eligible for payment from the Emergency Cooling Assistance program include all electric utilities in the 60-county area served. 

Vendors eligible for payment from the Emergency Energy Assistance program include all utilities in the 60-county area served, regardless of fuel type.  This includes suppliers of electricity, natural gas, LPG, oil, kerosene, coal, or wood.  In one award, payments may be made to no more than two vendors.

PAYMENT AMOUNTS ON BEHALF OF HOUSEHOLDS

• The agency should award only the minimum amount required to relieve the emergency.  Therefore, payments will vary among eligible households.  
  
• Payments in one award may be made to no more than two energy suppliers and cannot exceed the past due amount or the $275 annual cap. 
  
• Maximum annual payment for any one household is $275 under either or both of the two assistance programs combined.  Similarly, households may be awarded assistance no more than three times during one calendar year under either or both of the programs combined.  
• Payments are made directly to approved vendors that have signed a participation agreement with the Trust.  This agreement ensures that payments are properly applied by the vendors and that households are protected against the loss of service for at least a 30-day period.  

Note:  For the Emergency Energy Assistance program, fuel dealers must sign a Fuel Dealer Checklist (Trust-116). 

• No payments are made directly to a household.
• Trust funds may not be used to pay deposits.
• Trust funds can be used to pay reconnect fees.

ETHICS

As a matter of ethics, agency employees who administer the Trust programs and who are related to (or friends of) dealers must notify the agency executive director.  The executive director must then determine whether a possible conflict of interest could exist between the agency employee and the best interests of the agency, and take whatever action is deemed necessary to prevent such a conflict of interest.

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