Assistance for electricity,Winter Heating costs

Posted on by
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Winter Fuels Outlook released in October shows that fuel oil retail prices are expected to decline by about 8% from last winter. Residential propane expenditures are also expected to decrease by about 9% for the 2025-2026 winter heating season. Fuel inventories are an important source of winter supply. More natural gas and propane are currently stored in U.S. inventories compared with their previous five-year average going into this winter. These relatively high inventories have helped keep prices for those fuels below year-ago levels. Despite good news regarding fuel prices this winter, some families may need help paying for winter heating costs. The Department of Energy Resources has prepared a new 2025-2026 winter heating guide to help Maine people stay warm and find assistance if needed. Such assistance programs include the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and the Low Income Assistance Program (LIAP). Both programs are administered by the state’s network of local Community Action Partner (CAP) agencies and the Maine State Housing Authority. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) provides assistance to qualifying homeowners and renters for heating costs. Benefits include help paying for fuel and emergency assistance for fuel delivery if you are at risk of running out or emergency assistance with past-due bills to avoid electricity disconnection. You can also qualify for energy-related repairs and weatherization if you are eligible for HEAP. Application to the program is made through the state’s local CAP agency network and MaineHousing. Those who may qualify are encouraged to apply as soon as possible since the application review process can take up to eight weeks. A list of the local CAP offices can be found here. LIAP helps low-income homeowners and renters pay for electricity costs by providing a credit on their electric bills. In addition to qualifying for HEAP, other LIAP requirements include that electricity service at the property is year-round, the electric account is in a household member’s name, and the home does not receive a housing subsidy that limits the total housing costs (including utilities) to a fixed percentage of household income. For a complete list of energy and heating assistance programs available, visit the Public Utilities Commission’s website.