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Entergy wins inaugural Chartwell award: serving low-income customers
ORLANDO, FL – April 23, 2009 – Entergy was awarded Thursday Chartwell’s Best Practices Award for Serving Low-Income Customers for the utility’s low-income customer service initiatives. Entergy received the inaugural award at Chartwell’s Best Practices Summit on Serving Low-Income Customers.
The award – one of several Chartwell Best Practices Awards – recognizes the most innovative management, customer service and/or communications initiatives aimed at assisting customers most in need of financial aid.
“The level of commitment Entergy gives toward helping its low-income customer segment is exceptional,” says Doris Yon, Chartwell research analyst. “With full support coming from the top, Entergy has set the standard in programs and services for low-income customers.”
Entergy, headquartered in New Orleans, serves some of the country’s most poverty-stricken customers in its four-state territory. In moving its low-income customers toward self sufficiency, Entergy provides programs such as energy efficiency support, tax credit support, Individual Development Accounts, the Aspiring Scholar Program and more.
To gain insight on possible economic improvement for this customer segment, Entergy also regularly meets with advocates, regulators and other public officials at the utility’s Low-Income Customer Assistance Summits.
“Entergy is honored to have been recognized by Chartwell for this award,” says Patty Riddlebarger, director of corporate social responsibility at Entergy. “Our ultimate goal is to help our customers achieve economic self-sufficiency. It's not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. As a regulated utility, we can only be as successful as the communities we serve. Poverty drains economic resources from communities and robs individuals of the opportunity to achieve their full potential. We have a responsibility to our customers, the communities we serve and our shareholders to address the root causes of poverty.”
Chartwell Inc., an independent information services company providing best practices research and analysis to the utility and energy industry, facilitates knowledge exchange among utility professionals responsible for management practices and technology solutions.
Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 MW of electric generating capacity and is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $13 billion and approximately 14,700 employees.
Press Contact
Doris Yon
(404) 237-9099 Ext. 29
dyon@chartwellinc.com
