ATLANTA, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power remains committed to providing customers continued safe and reliable service, while offering updates on additional energy assistance programs and providing the latest scam avoidance tips as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The company announced last week that it would temporarily suspend residential disconnections beginning Saturday, March 14, 2020, for 30 days, and will reevaluate the decision and time frame as the situation develops. Georgia Power highly encourages all customers to continue to make payments and practice energy efficiency to avoid large balance due amounts when the suspension ends.

Assistance when you need it
Georgia Power partners with nonprofits, community and faith-based organizations to offer assistance programs to those in need. Programs include:

• Georgia Power's Senior Citizen Discount – Georgia Power customers 65 years of age or older who meet the income requirements for eligibility can receive up to $24 a month off their bill.
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) – Georgia Power supports the Division of Family & Children Services to help qualifying, low-income households pay their home energy bills.
• The Salvation Army's Project SHARE: Established in partnership with The Salvation Army, Georgia Power customers can provide assistance to residents in the same community for expenses, such as utility bills, housing, food and medical necessities.

Georgia Power has also developed public service announcements (PSAs) to highlight the various assistance and energy efficiency programs available to customers. The PSAs encourage customers to explore www.GeorgiaPower.com/EnergyAssistance to find the best solutions for their individual need. The PSAs can be viewed on the company's YouTube channel.

Customer Scam Warnings
Additionally, Georgia Power is urging customers to be aware of scammers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers should beware of phone calls demanding payment via phone. Georgia Power will never ask for a credit card or pre-paid debit card number over the phone. If a customer receives a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from Georgia Power and demanding payment to avoid disconnection, they should hang up and contact the company's customer service line at 888-660-5890. Georgia Power works with law enforcement agencies throughout the state to identify and prosecute criminals who pose as Georgia Power employees in order to defraud customers. Additional information about frequent scams and how the company works to protect customers is available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Scams.

Georgia Power Employee Safety
Georgia Power has been closely monitoring the potential threat posed by COVID-19 since January. Proactive actions have been taken to both prevent the spread of the illness and protect the safety and health of employees, including:

• Implementing telecommuting for those who can perform their duties remotely
• Cancelling facility tours and external meetings
• Increasing cleaning frequency at company locations
• Aggressively sanitizing work areas
• Cancelling all non-essential business travel – both domestic and international
• Asking employees to self-identify, if they have or plan to travel internationally
• Using technology for meetings

The company regularly provides information and updates on the virus to employees, including prevention recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, and is following the latest developments and updates from public health officials and medical professionals.

Vogtle 3 & 4 and COVID-19
Georgia Power remains focused on protecting the safety and health of workers at the Vogtle 3&4 site, and the company's implementation of comprehensive plans have helped us take every action to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic. Our proactive steps employ aggressive worker distancing strategies, including expanding our onsite medical clinic, adjusting break schedules and setting up mobile facilities to add more distance between individuals onsite. We continue to draw on the expertise of medical professionals and consult the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as we encourage the workforce to more closely monitor their health and report concerns. We have also taken immediate precautionary steps to identify and notify workers who were located in close proximity to the individuals being tested and have sent those team members home while we await test results.

Additional proactive action steps by the company to support distancing and hygiene initiatives include:

• Adding portable bathrooms and washing stations, adjusting break schedules and setting up additional space with overflow tents.
• Closing our onsite cafeteria
• Suspending onsite mass transit trams and shuttle busses.
• Limiting one person per transaction for tools and materials pickup
• Pre-staging certain tools and materials ready for pickup.
• Disinfecting tools prior to check-in

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

SOURCE Georgia Power