New Georgia Power payment plan aims to help customers recover from Hurricane Helene

The financial burden on Georgia residents from a climate change-fueled hurricane , Helene, has grabbed the attention of Georgia Power executives.

The energy giant, which serves 3 million customers in Georgia, is offering a flexible Installation Payment Plan . Customers can opt in to spread their electric bill payment over two, four or six months.

“Our commitment to customers goes beyond reconnecting power following a storm of this magnitude — we’re focused on helping many of our neighbors as they essentially rebuild their lives and communities,” Latanza Adjei, senior vice president of customer experience for Georgia Power, said in a press release on Oct. 7 .

At the time of Adjei’s statement, Georgia Power paused disconnection suspensions, waived late fees and collection activities until Dec. 15.

The Installation Payment Plan is available to all customers across Georgia, regardless whether the hurricane directly impacted their residence or business. There are three exceptions to the eligible customers: residents enrolled in PrePay or Pay-by-Day, customers with revenue protection and customers enrolled in Autopay or have special agreements with Georgia Power.

FlatBill customers who entered the 12-month contracted rate to pay a flat amount, removing fluctuations in their bills, are still responsible for their agreed-to monthly FlatBill amount, according to John Kraft, spokesperson for Georgia Power. They were included in the disconnection suspension and can spread the unpaid balance into the installment program being offered.

Customers can opt in to this payment option by logging in to their Georgia Power account online and going to the Payment Arrangement page and then choosing whether they want their bill to equally divide over two, four or six months. They also can call 877-403-7149 and say “Payment Arrangements” to set up the plan.

Customers have until Nov. 30 to make this payment plan decision.

Helene’s Significance in Georgia

Kraft said the only other time Georgia Power has created an installation payment option was during the 2020 COVID pandemic and could not recall such steps for an extreme weather event. .

“Hurricane Helene has been the most destructive storm in Georgia Power’s 140-year history,” according to Georgia Power’s website .

It took 10 days and 20,000 deployed workers for Georgia Power to get service back to 99% of the 1.5 million people who were without electricity.

Valdosta Mayor Scott Matheson told the Ledger-Enquirer in early October, “Georgia Power are our heroes right now.”

Over 35,000 insurance claims came from Georgia to State Farm just six days after the storm, according to Corporate Communications spokesperson at State Farm, Roszell Gadson.