Percentage of Income Payment Plan

PIPP is a payment assistance plan for Ohio residents designed to help you make minimum monthly payments to avoid disconnection of your electric or gas service. Please note the amount you owe on your monthly bill accumulates while you are enrolled in the program. While this plan may help prevent your utility service from being disconnected, the entire bill is still your responsibility. For this plan, you must receive service for your primary and/or secondary heating source from Duke Energy and your annual household income must be 150% or less than the federal poverty level. If so, you can avoid disconnection of your service.

With PIPP, if natural gas is your primary heating source, you pay a gas PIPP installment that's 10% of your gross monthly household income, each month, all year. If you use natural gas as your secondary heating source, you pay 5% of your gross monthly household income year-round.

If electricity is your primary heating source, you will pay an electric PIPP installment that's 15% of your gross monthly household income in billing periods that include any usage from November 1 through April 15. The rest of the year, April 16 through October 31, you'll pay 15% of your gross monthly household income or your current electric bill, whichever is greater.

If electricity is your secondary heating source (for example, if electricity controls your gas or oil furnace or if you use electric space heating in addition to another heating source), you will pay an electric PIPP installment that's 5%* of your gross monthly household income in billing periods that include any usage from November 1 through April 15. The rest of the year, April 16 through October 31, you'll pay 5%* of your gross monthly household income or your current electric bill, whichever is greater.
*If your income is 50% or less of the federal poverty level, you pay 3% instead of 5%.

Additional PIPP Requirements:

  1. You must apply for all public energy assistance for which you are eligible.
  2. You must provide proof of income at least once every 12 months.
  3. You must make your first payment in the amount determined above.
  4. You must apply for weatherization services if you are solicited by a provider affiliated with a utility or a Department of Development sponsored weatherization program.

To Apply:
You may apply for this plan by contacting your local community action agency.

For more information:
For more information, contact the Ohio Department of Development at 1-800-282-0880.