Potomac Edison Maryland Customers Can Get Help with Seasonal Energy Costs

Rhea-AI Summary

Potomac Edison (NYSE: FE) on March 24, 2026 urged Maryland customers to explore multiple bill assistance programs to manage seasonal energy costs. Programs include MEAP, EUSP, arrearage forgiveness up to $2,000, USPP, Community Energy Fund, LIEEP energy-efficiency help, and 24/7 2-1-1 support.

Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 Maryland customers and 155,000 in West Virginia; customers are directed to firstenergycorp.com/billassist for details.

News Market Reaction – FE

+0.80%

+0.80% Session close to close

In the Mar 24 session, FE gained 0.80%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement highlights expanded access to Maryland energy-bill assistance, including grants, a...

Analysis

This announcement highlights expanded access to Maryland energy-bill assistance, including grants, arrearage forgiveness up to $2,000, and efficiency upgrades. It reinforces FirstEnergy’s customer-support posture and Potomac Edison’s role across roughly 285,000 Maryland and 155,000 West Virginia customers. In context of recent storm and infrastructure updates, investors may watch ongoing customer programs, regulatory relationships, and service reliability metrics as key indicators of long-term franchise health.

Key Figures

MEAP crisis assistance: $600 Arrearage forgiveness cap: $2,000 Maryland customers served: 285,000 customers +5 more

8 metrics

MEAP crisis assistance $600 Additional crisis assistance for customers already receiving MEAP benefits

Arrearage forgiveness cap $2,000 Maximum past-due bill relief under EUSP Arrearage Retirement Assistance

Maryland customers served 285,000 customers Potomac Edison customers in seven Maryland counties

West Virginia customers served 155,000 customers Potomac Edison customers in Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia

Distribution companies 10 companies Number of FirstEnergy electric distribution companies

Transmission mileage 24,000 miles Approximate miles of transmission lines operated by subsidiaries

Helpline availability hours 24 hours 2-1-1 helpline availability per day

Helpline availability days 365 days 2-1-1 helpline availability per year

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Mar 20 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Mar 20	Bill assistance outreach	Positive	-2.3%	JCP&L promoted multiple energy bill assistance options and an in-person event.
Mar 17	Storm restoration update	Positive	-1.1%	Reported 97% of 1.1M storm-affected customers restored, with crews ongoing.
Mar 16	Restoration progress	Positive	+1.4%	Outlined restoration progress for 800,000+ customers and readiness for more storms.
Mar 12	Storm preparedness	Neutral	+0.7%	Warned of impending windstorm and detailed preparation and safety steps.
Mar 02	Transmission projects	Positive	-0.3%	Announced PJM-selected projects and about $950M planned grid investment in OH/PA.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent operational and customer-focused updates have produced mixed reactions, with several positive or neutral announcements followed by modest downside moves, indicating no consistent pattern of investor response.

Recent Company History

Over the last month, FirstEnergy has issued several operations and customer-service updates. Storm preparation and restoration news on Mar 12–17 highlighted system reliability work and drew mixed price reactions between -1.06% and +1.41%. A Mar 2 transmission award update involving about $950 million of planned investment coincided with a small -0.35% move. A Mar 20 bill-assistance release for JCP&L was followed by a -2.31% reaction. Today’s Maryland assistance release fits this pattern of customer-support communications.

Key Terms

arrearage

1 terms

arrearage financial

"EUSP Arrearage Retirement Assistance: A forgiveness program that helps customers eliminate past due electric bills up to $2,000."

Arrearage is the total amount of payments that are past due on a loan, bill, tax, dividend or other obligation — in other words, money that should have been paid but wasn’t. Think of it as a growing stack of unpaid bills: it signals possible cash-flow stress, higher borrowing costs, legal risk or increased likelihood of default, all of which can affect a company’s creditworthiness and investor returns.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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WILLIAMSPORT, Md., March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As temperatures rise and fall, many families use more electricity to keep their homes comfortable — and that added usage can lead to higher energy bills. To help customers stay on top of those costs, Potomac Edison, a FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) electric company, encourages Maryland households to explore the many bill assistance programs available to help make monthly electric costs more manageable.

Jim Myers, President, FirstEnergy West Virginia and Maryland: "We understand that changing weather can drive up energy use and put pressure on family budgets, but no one should feel overwhelmed by their energy bills. We're committed to helping Maryland customers find the programs and resources that can offer real support and peace of mind."

The following assistance programs are available to eligible customers:

• Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP): Provides grants to customers who are having trouble paying their electric bills or have lost service due to unpaid bills. Customers who have already received MEAP benefits could also receive up to $600 in crisis assistance.
• Electric Universal Service Program (EUSP): Financial assistance to help customers pay a portion of their electric bills.
• EUSP Arrearage Retirement Assistance: A forgiveness program that helps customers eliminate past due electric bills up to $2,000.
• Utility Service Protection Program (USPP): Protects eligible customers from utility turn-offs during the heating season.
• Community Energy Fund (CEF): Need-based program that provides emergency electric bill payments.
• EmPOWER Low Income Energy Efficiency Program (LIEEP): Eligible customers receive a free home energy audit and certain energy-saving home improvements.
• 2-1-1 Helpline: Information helpline that helps identify locally available programs that may assist customers with utility bills or other needs. 2-1-1 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We're here to help. Whether you need short-term assistance or ongoing support, please reach out as soon as possible to review your options. Visit firstenergycorp.com/billassist to learn more about assistance and payment programs.

Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven Maryland counties and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X @PotomacEdison and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/potomac-edison-maryland-customers-can-get-help-with-seasonal-energy-costs-302723522.html

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

FAQ

What bill assistance programs did Potomac Edison (FE) highlight on March 24, 2026?

Potomac Edison highlighted MEAP, EUSP, EUSP arrearage forgiveness, USPP, CEF, LIEEP and 2-1-1 support. According to the company, these programs provide grants, partial-bill aid, arrearage forgiveness up to $2,000, emergency payments, energy-efficiency upgrades and a 24/7 helpline.

How much arrearage relief does Potomac Edison (FE) offer through its EUSP program?

The company offers arrearage retirement forgiveness up to $2,000 for eligible customers. According to the company, this program helps eliminate qualifying past-due electric bills, reducing customer debt burden and lowering the risk of service disconnection for eligible participants.

How many customers does Potomac Edison (FE) serve in Maryland and West Virginia as of March 24, 2026?

Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven Maryland counties and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. According to the company, these figures reflect its local distribution footprint and customer base size.

What is the EmPOWER LIEEP benefit mentioned by Potomac Edison (FE) on March 24, 2026?

EmPOWER LIEEP provides eligible customers a free home energy audit and select energy-saving home improvements. According to the company, the program aims to lower long-term energy use and reduce monthly bills through targeted efficiency measures.

When should Maryland customers contact Potomac Edison (FE) for bill-assistance options?

Customers are urged to reach out as soon as possible to review options and avoid service issues. According to the company, prompt contact increases access to grants, crisis assistance up to $600, payment plans, and protections like USPP during heating season.

Where can Potomac Edison (FE) customers find more information about bill assistance on March 24, 2026?

Customers can visit firstenergycorp.com/billassist for full program details and application steps. According to the company, the website centralizes eligibility criteria, contact information, and links to the 2-1-1 helpline for local assistance referrals.