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Utility Assistance and Hardship Payment Options

As a nonprofit, locally run municipal utility, BPU
understands the needs of this historic community Hardship Assistance
and the unique challenges it faces. With a number of Program
Wyandotte County households living at or below the
poverty level and others facing economic uncertainty, This program helps offset utility expenses related to
BPU offers a variety of utility and financial assistance unforeseen circumstances, including employment/
programs designed to help customers experiencing income/marital status, health emergencies, etc.
financial hardship and those that may have difficulty This program fills an essential role in emergency
making utility payments due to unforeseen assistance for the community as it is not income-
circumstances. based. Assistance cannot exceed $500, and is
available only once every 12 months. Administered
This includes the Utility Assistance Program and the Hardship
Assistance Program, which are administered through the United by the United Way, call the Hardship Hotline at
Way and can help offset expenses for those in need or experiencing 913-371-6772 or 2-1-1 for more info.
unplanned emergencies. BPU has committed $625,000 to these two
programs in 2024, with $420,000 provided for Utility Assistance BPU Payment
and $205,000 for Hardship Assistance relief. More than 1,100 area
households benefited from these programs last year, and even more Arrangement Options
are anticipated to receive assistance in 2024. As always, BPU will work directly with customers
on payment options. Avoid getting too far
Utility Assistance Program behind. The sooner a customer reaches out when
experiencing issues, the more BPU and others
BPU provides funding disbursed through the United Way to can do to assist. BPU
eight partner agencies including Avenue of Life, El Centro, Cross- understands the unique
Lines, Salvation Harbor Light Village, and others. Participants circumstances some
must be at 150% of federal poverty level, assistance cannot
exceed $500 and is available only once every 12 months. Nearly customers face and will
work to assist whenever
$2 million in relief to Wyandotte County residents has been possible. Simply call
provided since the program’s inception in 2009, with more than 913-573-9145 and we
10,300 assistance payments being distributed. For more info, are here to help.
contact United Way at 2-1-1.

BPUInPerson Offers Personalized Service

The new BPUInPerson service provides utility questions/resolve issues that cannot be addressed
customers requiring additional assistance with a online or via phone. This includes billing questions,
more personalized level of customer care. Specifically, payment arrangements, new service sign-ups,
it offers the opportunity for one-on-one, in-person transfer of existing service, and stop/final service. BPU Hot
meetings with BPU support specialists at BPU’s Main Utility bill payments will not be accepted during Weather Rule
Office (540 Minnesota Ave., KCK). By appointment these meetings, and this service is not intended as a
only, this feature provides face-to-face interaction utility payment location. For additional information or
to assist with various account services and answer to sign-up for a 30-minute BPUInPerson appointment, BPU will not disconnect
go to www.BPU.com. electric service during
As always, the quickest the summer months
most convenient way for on any day when the
customers to access their National Weather
BPU account information, Service forecasts the
pay bills, and access utility
services and programs is by temperature will rise
going to www.BPU.com and above 95 degrees
logging into their account. Fahrenheit, or the
Billing Inquiries and other heat index will rise
Customer Service assistance above 105 degrees
is also available by calling Fahrenheit, which is
913-573-9190 any time consistent with other
from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Mon-Fri. utility policies in the
metro area.

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