Entergy : Mississippi Expands Utility Bill Relief Options for Customers

News Center > Entergy Mississippi Expands Utility Bill Relief Options for Customers

For Immediate Release

Entergy Mississippi Expands Utility Bill Relief Options for Customers

05/28/2020

May 26 marked end of MPSC order to suspend disconnections for nonpayment

JACKSON, Mississippi- Entergy Mississippi has developed or enhanced several flexible payment options for customers who may have difficulty paying their utility bills due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company will work with customers on a case-by-case basis to provide relief options that are tailored to their needs. New payment options include:

• Allowing customers to pay past-due amounts over time.
• Allowing deferred payment arrangements for all customers. This includes not only residential customers, but commercial and industrial customers as well.

Another option, which is not new but will be helpful in many cases, is rolling past-due amounts into a Level Billing plan that averages payments over 12 months.

Due to anticipated significant increases in call volumes, customers are encouraged to contact the company as soon as possible and to self-serve using Entergy.com/myaccount or by calling 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) and using the automated payment arrangement options.

'Working with the Mississippi Public Service Commission, we were able to stop disconnecting power for customers who were unable to pay for more than two months,' said Lea Turnipseed, Entergy Mississippi vice president of customer service. 'This ended May 26. We urge our customers who are in a bind to contact us as soon as possible so we can find a suitable option to avoid service interruption.'

To ensure customers know they are behind on their bills, Entergy Mississippi will send a letter or email to customers with outstanding balances that provides information on how to access payment relief.

'We know this is an extraordinary time for many of our customers who find themselves navigating new challenges in paying rent, putting food on the table and caring for their families,' Turnipseed said. 'Pulling together is what we do in Mississippi, and that's why we developed these options--to help people make it through and get back on their feet.'

Entergy has been communicating with customers throughout the moratorium period on flexible payment arrangements. The company will continue to do so up to the point of disconnection to ensure the customer has every opportunity to pay or make other arrangements.

Disconnections are an option of last resort for the company. However, there is a national utility scam where bad actors impersonate utility companies and call customers demanding immediate payment. The con artist tells the customer their payment is past due and they will be disconnected if payment isn't made. The scammer then directs the customer to transfer funds electronically, sometimes through 'MoneyPak,' 'Green Dot' or another third- party card or transfer system. The scammers also use spoofing technology to make it appear on Caller ID that the call is from Entergy.

Entergy never calls customers demanding payment. To keep from falling victim to this scam, never give your personal information to strangers. If a call sounds suspicious, hang up and call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) directly. Do not call back the number that appears on your Caller ID.

While you can pay your bill by phone or credit card, it is only through BillMatrix, a third-party vendor Entergy uses for this purpose, and you would have to initiate the call.

Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 450,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including 8,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of $11 billion and approximately 13,600 employees.

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MississippiCOVID-19Coronavirus