Ohio program
Gas and electric payments based on income (PIPP Plus)
PIPP Plus sets qualifying gas and electric payments as a share of household income.
What it is
PIPP Plus sets qualifying gas and electric payments as a share of household income.
PIPP Plus is a payment plan through Ohio-regulated gas and electric companies. It can make the monthly amount more predictable for households at or under 175% of poverty. It is an ongoing payment obligation, not cash assistance.
Eligibility rules
- Household income must be at or under 175% of poverty.
- The utility must be a PUCO-regulated natural-gas or electric company.
What you get
- Gas and electric payments are generally 5% of monthly income for each service, with a separate $10 minimum each.
- A 10% income-based payment for an all-electric home.
What this covers
- The utility bills the approved income-based amount instead of the full regular monthly charge.
If you decide to apply
- Ask your community action agency about PIPP Plus through the HEAP application.
- Have the last 30 days of income and utility account information ready. Ask what your monthly payment would be.
Local energy-assistance agency; your utility's PIPP Plus office · Official page ↗
After you apply
- An approval establishes the PIPP amount shown on your utility bill.
Good to know
Missed PIPP payments still matter. A municipal utility or cooperative uses its own assistance policy.
Other details
- Pay the full PIPP amount on time each month and the utility writes off the difference from the real bill plus a slice of any old debt. Missed payments lose those credits and have to be caught up. Reverify income each year and report changes within 30 days.
Official sources
“Would PIPP give us a manageable monthly payment, and what happens if we miss one? Could you help us compare it with other energy help before we enroll?”
Why I’m asking: I want to know whether an income-based payment would make our utility bills easier to keep up with.
More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules
Who does what
The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.
You
Apply with 30 days of income, then pay the PIPP amount every month.
Your social worker
Nothing beyond pointing you to the application.
The care team
Records and letters when the application asks for them.
- Who decides
- The energy-help agency enrolls you; the utility then bills the percentage.
- Ask the agency
- “Can we enroll in PIPP Plus so our gas and electric bills become 5% of our income each month?”
How to apply
First step: Ask for PIPP Plus on the HEAP application, on the energy-help website or through the community action agency.
- Ask for PIPP Plus enrollment on the HEAP application.
Official application / program page ↗
Where it starts: Apply with the HEAP application (energy-assistance portal or community action agency)
What to gather
- 30 days of income
- Utility account numbers
How long: With the HEAP decision.
What a yes looks like
A monthly PIPP amount on the bill.
What a no looks like, and the next move
Ask whether the utility is state-regulated (PUCO), and whether they used the right 30 days of income.
Watch out
- It is a payment plan, not a grant. A missed PIPP payment still counts against you.
- A city utility or a co-op is outside the state rule; it has its own program, so ask.
The numbers and the rules
The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 9, 2026.
What it is worth
5% of monthly income for electric and 5% for gas (10% if all-electric), at least $10, in place of the full bill.
- $5 — Monthly payment per service
- $10 — Monthly payment, all-electric home
- $10/month — Minimum payment
Covers: Income-based payment arrangement with PUCO-regulated electric and gas utilities
What it costs the family: The percentage payment each month.
The eligibility facts, as published
- Income
- at or under 175% FPL (HEAP table)
- Utility
- PUCO-regulated electric or natural gas companies
Decisions this site cannot make: Enrollment through the energy-assistance provider
Expect friction on: Not all utilities are PUCO-regulated
The trap: It is a payment plan, not a grant. A missed PIPP payment still counts against you. Report income changes.
Where I read this
- Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel — Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP Plus) — Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel, read September 8, 2026
- Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel — Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) — Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel, read September 8, 2026