New services options offered to the visually impaired

NSTAR and the Perkins School for the Blind are teaming up to help sight-impaired customers more easily and independently manage their monthly utility bills. NSTAR will now provide monthly statements in Braille or large-print to customers who have lost all or part of their vision. The new service is free of charge and customers need only call the company's customer service line to sign up.

"Access to information is a major barrier threatening the independence of many people in the blindness community. By introducing billing in Braille and large print, NSTAR is giving customers who are blind or visually impaired the ability to read their electric bills independently without assistance from a sighted person," said Kim Charlson, Director of Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. "NSTAR deserves recognition as one of the first major energy companies to provide accessible billing to all of its customers."

NSTAR customers who enroll in the program will receive both their regular statement and the new version at no additional charge. The Braille and large-print format will afford these customers the opportunity to get a better understanding of their monthly energy usage and other pertinent account information.

"The new bill options are just one example of how NSTAR tailors its services to fit the needs of a diverse range of customers," said Penni Conner, NSTAR's Vice President of Customer Care. "Providing our statements in Braille and large print allows these customers to enjoy a better sense of independence and privacy as they manage their finances."

To take advantage of this service, customers can call NSTAR at 800-592-2000. Customers who enroll will see no impact on any payment option programs or services in which they are already enrolled - such as Direct Pay, Pay by Phone or Budget Billing.

Perkins is the oldest school for the blind in the country, where Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan, were educated. Today Perkins serves more than 60,000 people who are blind, deafblind or visually impaired with multiple disabilities--from babies to school-age children to elders--on campus, in the community and in 55 developing countries around the world.

NSTAR transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas to 1.4 million customers in Eastern and Central Massachusetts, including over one million electric customers in 81 communities and nearly 300,000 gas customers in 51 communities.