The United Way closed applications for Entergy bill payment relief at 4 p.m. Wednesday, about seven hours after the application process began.
"We received over 17,100 applications in under eight hours since opening the program on 9 a.m. this morning," the United Way announced in an afternoon news release. "The significant response is projected to exhaust the funds provided by Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans for our seven-parish service area."
United Way is now reviewing the applications to see who qualifies. Not everyone who submitted an application will be able to receive a share of $4.4 million committed by Entergy to fund the program. Help was available for ratepayers in New Orleans and Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes.
Grants are limited to applicants who are under 250% of the federal popery income limit for their household size. That would be $69,375 for a household of four people.