Arizona program to help needy families pay utility bills

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Department of Economic Security is launching a program to provide $36 million  to help needy households pay utility bills as a two-year moratorium on service cutoffs ends. The department on Friday announced that Arizona Public Service Co., the Salt River Project, UniSource Energy Services, Tucson Electric Power and Southwest Gas will participate in a pilot project and that it intends to add additional utilities later. According to the department, the money granted to eligible utility customers will be applied directly to their accounts as a lump sum once eligibility is confirmed.