(KANSAS CITY, Ks.) — As a not-for-profit utility, the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has been meeting the electric and water service requirements of Wyandotte County for more than a century. As a municipal utility, BPU works closely with customers experiencing financial hardship and those having difficulty in making utility payments, offering flexible payment plans, access to a number of utility and financial assistance programs, and more. These various options and programs include:

• BPU’s Customer Hardship Payment Service Program – A financial assistance program providing eligible participants assistance to offset utility expenses related to health emergencies, change in employment or income status, unforeseen expenses, etc. support. Administered by the United Way for BPU, interested applicants can call the special Hardship Hotline at 913-371-6772 or the United Way directly at 2-1-1 for more information.
• Community Assistance Programs – BPU supports utility assistance programs at various human services agencies throughout Wyandotte County. Funds are disbursed thru the United Way to eight partner agencies including Avenue of Life, Cross-Lines, El Centro, Catholic Charities, Economic Opportunity Foundation, Salvation Army-KCK, and others. In concert with BPU’s Hardship Assistance program outlined above, this provides another layer of assistance to help keep households in our community stable or to enroll in this program, call the United Way at 2-1-1.
• Utility Payment Arrangement Options – BPU is willing to work with customers to assist them with a variety of payment arrangement options. As with any financial obligation, the sooner customers reach out when they are experiencing financial issues, the more BPU and other organizations can assist. Customers can set up payment arrangements by calling 913-573-9145. All other BPU billing or customer service questions can be answered by calling 913-573-9190.
• FlexPay - allows customers to monitor their electricity and water on an “as-needed” basis, with services purchased on a pre-paid basis. There are no deposits and no late fees. Call 913-573-9190 to enroll in this program.
• The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) - A Federally funded program that helps eligible households pay a portion of their home energy costs by providing a one-time per year benefit, is now available for eligible Kansans.
  The program is managed and administered by the State of Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), with the 2024 application now open through March 29, 2024. To qualify, applicants must be responsible for direct payment of their heating bills, with income eligibility requirements set at 150% of the federal poverty level, among other things. To learn more about eligibility requirements, find additional information, or complete a LIEAP application, interested parties should go to the State of Kansas DCF website or call the State of Kansas DCF offices directly at 1-888-369- 4777. The program is managed and administered by the State of Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF).
• Home Weatherization - At no charge, income-eligible families can receive a comprehensive home energy audit, assessing their entire home. Certified energy auditors will search a home, inside and out, looking for inefficiencies and safety concerns using advanced equipment and identify a customized account of areas for cost-effective improvements.
  The improvements will be provided free of charge by a network of professional crews and contractors. For more information or to enroll, go to
  www.ECKAN.org/weatherization/ or call 785-242-6413. This program is funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) and Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) and regulated by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation.

BPU’s water department was originally created in 1909, and its electric utility was operational in 1912. The purpose of the utility, then and to this day, is to provide the highest quality electric and water services at the lowest possible cost. Today the publicly owned utility serves approximately 67,000 electric and 53,000 water customers, primarily in Wyandotte County, Kansas. The mission of the utility and its employees is “to focus on the needs of our customers, to improve the quality of life in our community while promoting safe, reliable and sustainable utilities.” BPU’s Web site is www.bpu.com.