National Grid Arrears Management NARUC July 13, 2014 1

Territory – Large and Diverse

Strategy Main Components Low Income Programs Consumer Advocacy Storm Restoration Efforts Proactive Outreach & Education Community Partnerships

Low Income Programs NY - Upstate Description / Eligibility Funding Care and Share Eligible customers must meet the income guidelines of the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and can apply once they have exhausted all HEAP assistance available. $250,000 from National Grid Employee and Customer contributions Administered by HeartShare AffordAbility (LICAP) Program Customer must have received HEAP in the past 14 months Have NOT previously been on Affordability in the past 2 years Demonstrated inability to pay their bill Customer receives a basic monthly deferral rate of 5% or 7.5% deferred from their average monthly bill amount $30 monthly arrears forgiveness credit Recovered in Rates Low Income $10.50 Gas Credit Program Must have received HEAP in the past 14 months Must be a Gas Customer or Gas & Electric Low Income Electric Credit Program $15 Credit Heating Customers $5 Credit Non-Heating Customers Must be an Electric Customer

Low Income Programs NY - Downstate Description / Eligibility Funding Neighborhood Heating Fund Eligibility Resident of Brooklyn, Queens or Staten Island HEAP eligible $200 grant per year $150,000 from National Grid Employee and Customer contributions Administered by Heart Share On Track Participation is up to 18 months Eligible to receive up to $400 in allowances Available to the first 2,400 Customers who qualify Heating account customer with gross income of 250% or less of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) A one or two family residence with arrears greater than $400 Must be able to maintain both a Level payment Plan and an affordable DPA Recovered in Rates KEDNY Residential Rate $3.00 discount in the minimum charge for residential non-heating customers $10.50 discount in the minimum charge for residential heating customers Seasonal winter discount of 55% in the second rate block (November – April) Automatic enrollment with receipt of HEAP Eligible to 70,000 customers Provide proof of current enrollment in one of the following programs: Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Home Energy Assistance Program, Veteran’s Disability Pension, Veteran’s Surviving Spouse Pension, Child Health Plus

Low Income Programs NY – Long Island Description / Eligibility Funding Project Warmth Fuel Fund Eligibility Resident of Nassau or Suffolk County or the Rockaways Customer must have termination notice or Financially unable to secure heating fuel of any type $400 for oil, gas, electric heat, wood, etc. $100 for LIPA Fuel Related Electricity Opens December 1st Last heating season distributed $525,073 to 1370 families $150,000 from National Grid Charitable Foundations and Corporate Sponsors and Residents of Long Island Administered by United Way of Long Island On Track Participation is up to 18 months Eligible to receive up to $400 in allowances Available to the first 1,000 Customers who qualify Recovered in Rates KEDLI Residential Rate $7.48 discount in the minimum charge for residential non-heating customers $16.36 discount in the minimum charge for residential heating customers Seasonal winter discount of 55% in the second rate block (November – April) Eligible to 30,000 customers Provide proof of current enrollment in one of the following programs: Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Home Energy Assistance Program, Veteran’s Disability Pension, Veteran’s Surviving Spouse Pension, Child Health Plus

Low Income Emergency Relief Low Income Discount Program 110,753 customers received a one time $20 credit on their May bill, for a total of $2,215,060 AffordAbility Program   3,913 customers received a one time $250 arrears forgiveness credit, for a total of $978,250 Care and Share Program  3,000 customers received an emergency grant of $250. Combined with the regular heating season, over 5,000 customers have received over $1M in Care and Share grants.

Consumer Advocates The Advocacy Team Initiatives Focus on the Most Vulnerable Customers Serious medical condition Disability Those struggling with an inability to pay their bill: Defaulted payment agreements Facing termination of services Loss of service Elderly Unemployed / Underemployed Veterans Low Income Lending a helping hand, the Consumer Advocacy Team goes the extra mile to help those in need.

Advocate Role in the Community

Veterans Campaigns

Customer Assistance EXPO Newest Initiative – Life Can be Hard but finding assistance shouldn’t be Purpose to provide a our low income customers a way to connect with the resources they need, all under one roof in one day

Customer Assistance EXPO EXPO was held June 5th in the SUNY Educational Opportunity Center in Syracuse In addition to our 4 consumer advocates, 18 vendors from the non-profit and government sector were available to provide information and assistance to low income customers. Total attendance 300+ Advocates assisted 150 customers, plus 111 requests for call backs Vendors included: DSS Social Services, HEAP, NYS PSC Outreach Division, Catholic Charities, SNAP, PEACE, Workforce for New York, EmPower, Office for the Aging and the Food Bank. Planning other EXPO events in Albany, Utica, Canton and Buffalo

Customer Assistance EXPO Customers beyond grateful, many in tears of gratitude as they found the help they needed with National Grid bills, our low income programs, food stamps, energy efficiency programs, rental assistance, and much more Customer Comments: "This was wonderful, when are you doing it again?" "I didn't know National Grid had such nice people to talk to" "You guys are truly angels for wanting to help people" "Thank you so much for all the help" "You really do have people who care"

HEAP Outreach National Grid HEAP Outreach 2013-2014 Season New York - Upstate New York - Downstate Long Island Disconnect Notice Insert Inserted with notice throughout HEAP Season Outbound Calling Campaigns November All HEAP Eligible Customers Emergency HEAP Calls - January Customers with Shut Off Notices Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Contact Center On hold message highlighting HEAP LIHEAP Winter Ad Financial Assistance Brochure NYC Residential Customers November Bill Insert Outbound Calling Campaign Final Notice Insert through HEAP Season