Agency Portal for Service Centers Serving Low Income Customers

Angie S. LeslieProject Leadasleslie@tecoenergy.com

LIFE RUNS ON ENERGYSM

Utility Payment Conference

Agenda

Company Background

2-1-1 Network

LIHEAP, EHEAP and Additional Services

Business Drivers for Agency Portal

Importance of Providing Customer Information

Cost Saving Opportunities

Improvements in Customer Service

Summary

Company Background

Tampa Electric

Supplier of electricity to Tampa Bay area since 1899

4,400 MW of generating capacity

Customer base ~ 667,000

Service territory – 2,000 square miles of West Central Florida

Peoples Gas

Supplier of energy services since 1895

Florida’s largest natural gas distributor

Customer base ~ 345,000

Service territory – State of Florida (East/West regions)

Service Territory Map

2-1-1 Network

FCC created resource for comprehensive information and referral services

The Calling for 2-1-1 Act of 2003

Florida 2-1-1 Network Gateway to community services 24 x 7 Strengthens communities Right information in the right way at the right time

Low Income Home EnergyAssistance Program (LIHEAP)

Federal program to assist low income households in meeting their immediate home energy needs

Source of heating and cooling in residential dwellings

Household income requirements

All 50 states receive LIHEAP grants each year

Funding levels Block grant Contingency

LIHEAP Funding

Funding 2008 2009 2010

Block Grant $1,977,027,460

$4,476,301,613

$4,476,301,613

Contingency $449,796,858 $589,663,959 $489,390,574

Total $2,426,824,318

$5,065,965,572

$4,965,692,187

State of Florida

$27,075,265 $95,037,075 $110,354,390

% Florida 1.4% 2.1% 2.5%

% New York 12.7% 10.6% 10.7%

% Pennsylvania

6.8% 6.1% 6.3%

% Michigan 5.5% 5.0% 5.2%

% Illinois 5.8% 5.3% 5.2%

Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly

Program (EHEAP)

Assists low-income households, with at least one person age 60 or older

Payments for home heating and cooling emergencies

Eligible for $600 per heating and/or cooling season

Includes cost for blankets, portable fans/heaters, and repairs to heating/cooling equipment

Additional Services

Community Action Board

Customer Communications IVR Customer Service Professionals Website Conservation DVD Weatherization kit

Business Drivers for Agency Portal

Partnership with social service agencies Assessment of information needs Review business process Win/Win experience

Economic conditions Increase in payment arrangement requests Growth in customers seeking aid Modify credit scoring methodology Rise in statewide unemployment rates

Florida Unemployment Rate(2008 – 2010)

Importance of ProvidingCustomer Information

No IVR, no waiting in queue

Provide consistent information Monthly bills and final notices Deposits Payments

Ease of use for information and payment guarantees

Provide a secure environment to protect customer information

Cost Saving Opportunities

Metrics Incoming call volume Incoming payment guarantees or pledges Outgoing duplicate bills Disconnect and subsequent reconnect activities

Other Potential reduction of bad debt expense (write-offs)

Improvements in Customer Service

Assist more customers in need

Reduce Agency processing time

Automate account updates

Provide an audit trail

Shift of resource assignments

Summary

Implementation approach Work closely with local funding agencies Soft launch to Tampa Electric agencies Phased approach for Peoples Gas statewide

agencies

Keys to Success Focus on agency information needs and processes Seamless approach for shared gas/electric accounts Increase in agency guarantees Reduction in call volume

Q & A

Thank you!

For any other questions, please contact:

Angie S. Leslie

Tampa Electric / Peoples Gas

asleslie@tecoenergy.com