My neighbor is on a fixed income

Energy Neighbor Fund

Progress Energy’s Energy Neighbor fund is an energy-assistance program for our customers. This program provides assistance to customers who are experiencing temporary financial difficulties, such as sudden illness, unexpected unemployment, or an emergency or personal crisis. Energy Neighbor Fund contributions come from Progress Energy’s employees, customers, and the Progress Energy Foundation.

With the help of several social service agencies who distribute the funds collected, 100 percent of the money donated to the fund goes directly to helping keep the lights on. The money stays in the communities in which it is collected.

To donate click here

To request help from the fund click here

Bill Extender

This program is designed to help customers on a fixed income such as Social Security, retirement, or disability benefits who receive only one monthly income check that falls outside the due date of their electric bills. After enrollment, the billing due date will extend 9 days from the normal billing due date. To remain eligible for the program, payment must be received on time. Credit restrictions apply. Call 800.700.8744 for more information or to sign up.

Lifeline Assistance: Available from Your Local Phone Company

If you receive assistance from any of the programs below, you can save up to $13.50 per month on local phone service with Lifeline Assistance:

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Medicaid
Federal Public Housing or Section 8 Assistance
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Food Stamps
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
National School Lunch Free Meals Program

You also qualify for 50 percent off of your service connection fee (up to $30) if applicable, on new connections and transfer of service. Only one phone line per household is eligible for Lifeline. You may also qualify for Lifeline Assistance if your household income is less than 135 percent of the federal income poverty guidelines. Call the Florida Office of Public Counsel at 1-800-540-7039 or your local phone provider for details or to request an application.

Budget Billing is an optional payment program designed to help residential customers avoid unpredictable bills by equalizing payments over the course of three months.

Program benefits:

Easy to budget
Predictable bills
No charge

How the program works:

Your monthly Budget Billing amount will be based on the average of your actual bills during the last 12 months (including local taxes, franchise fees, private area lighting, and energy management credits).* This amount will be the same for at least three months.
We continue to read your meter each month. Your monthly bill shows exactly how much energy you use, the actual bill amount, and the deferred balance on your account.
The difference between your actual bill and your Budget Billing amount each month will be shown as a deferred balance. This may be a credit or a debit.
Every three months, your Budget Billing amount will be recalculated to reflect the average of your last 12 months' actual bills and your deferred balance.

*Note: If you have not established 12 months' usage, the consumption history of the previous occupant will be considered to determine the average bill amount. For homes without a consumption history (new construction), the area average will be used.

Eligibility requirements:

Residential account
No past due balances*
Good credit history

*Note: Past due balances may be cause for removal from the program for a 12 month period.

I think I agree with you that if you secretly paid his bill for him he might find out and get upset.
I can understand the impulse to want to pay his bill for him, I think I would feel the same way. And, while that might be a nice gesture, it might also make him feel uncomfortable, or even suspicious about what was going on. I think that, since the two of you are good friends, you should approach the situation more directly with him.
Can you go over and pay him a visit?
If so, go over and tell him you noticed his lights weren't on and that made you concerned about him. Ask him if he is having a problem with the electric company, without mentioning the bill, and see what he tells you about the reason his lights were off.
Regardless of what he mentions, tell him you'd like to help him with the problem, and offer to loan him the money to cover the bill if that will help straighten out the problem, and let him know you're not at all in a hurry to get the loan repaid, and that it would make you feel good to be able to do this for him because he's been such a nice friend to you..
A loan offer seems like less of a handout, and maybe it would give you the opportunity to discuss finances with him, out of genuine concern. If he's not able to afford his electric bill, what else can't he afford? Food? Medication? A phone? Does he have family who help him out? Is is aware of the benefits for seniors in your area?
There are a lot of services available to senior citizens that he might, or might not, know about and that you could possibly help connect him to by contacting the social worker at the local senior citizens center.
He possibly might, for instance, be able to get discounted utility rates as a senior with limited income, or larger savings on his property tax. If he's really floundering financially, something like a reverse mortgage, if he doesn't already have one, would allow him to use the equity in his home to cover his living expenses, and those don't have to be re-paid until the homeowner moves out of the house or dies, and they are designed for seniors to help keep them in their homes.
I'd worry about a 72 year old neighbor being in the dark days at a time, and without a working refrigerator during that period. And the unpaid electric bill, might only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of his financial difficulties. He might be going without other things he needs, beside electricity every few months.

So, if you could get him to open up to you, you might be able to do more for him than just pay his electric bill. You might be able to connect him to a social worker, or an agency for seniors, or some other social service, that could make sure his overall welfare was being attended to as well as seeing if they could get any additional senior benefits for him.
The social workers connected to the senior citizen centers tend to be good resource people. I guess you also need to make sure that he isn't just forgetting to pay bills. The problem might be declining cognitive/memory functions and not finances. It's very caring of you to be so concerned about your neighbor.
You are a kind soul.