MILLIONS of Americans can take advantage of help paying off their energy bills with no-strings-attached thanks to a number of handy programs across the country.
As energy bills reach an all-time high in the past 12 years, four states are lending a helping hand to their residents.
Energy bills are on the rise and have reached an all-time high in the past 12 years[/caption]
Four states operate programs intended to help residents with their utility bills[/caption]
Electricity prices in many areas are currently at or near all-time highs thanks to a number of factors such as increased demand, general inflation, rising fuel costs, and investments in grid upgrades.
Americans are being confronted with yet another summer of record high prices to keep their homes cool, per a recent report from National Energy Assistance Directors Association, or NEADA.
The average electricity cost from June to September is expected to reach $784 this year, marking the highest price of electricity in at least 12 years.
These high costs are especially harmful to low-income households, with an increasing number of Americans becoming unable to pay their energy bills.
They are at risk of having their electricity shut off and being left vulnerable to extreme summer temperatures.
Summer Protections by State
In 2025, just 17 states and Washington DC offer Americans protections from having their electricity shut off if they are behind on utility payments:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Washington DC
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nevada
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Texas
- Washington
- Wisconsin
Source: NEADA
Low-income households struggling to pay for heating and cooling costs can turn to LIHEAP, a federal program that provides bill payment assistance and energy crisis assistance to Americans in all US states and territories.
Some states also have their own specific programs to help cash-strapped Americans with their energy bills.
NEW JERSEY
Launched in 2024, the Residential Energy Assistance Payment, or REAP, program will automatically apply seven credits worth $25 each to qualifying New Jersey residents’ utility bills this summer, per the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities website.
The utility credit, which adds up to $175, does not require an application, as utility companies in New Jersey already determined households eligible for REAP’s second round and began applying the first $25 credit on August 1.
REAP eligibility was determined using enrollment data previously collected on households who qualified for the Winter Termination Program between November 15, 2024, and March 15, 2025.
The program protects participants from having their utilities shut off in winter if they are unable to pay.
TEXAS
Over in Texas, the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, or CEAP, helps low-income households with their energy needs by helping to pay their utility bills.
In order to qualify for assistance from CEAP, households generally need to have a gross income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.
The allocation limits, per the CEAP website, are:
- Households at 0-50% of the poverty line: up to $2,400
- Households at 51-75%: up to $2,300
- Households at 75-150%: up to $2,200
Texas’s CEAP offers such high annual benefits because it is designed to cover both high summer cooling costs and emergency energy needs in an extreme climate rather than a small monthly discount.
Beyond just utility bill assistance, for example, CEAP offers a Crisis Assistance Component, which may include payments or appliance repairs when households lose service connection or are facing extreme weather conditions.
GEORGIA
Georgia has several state programs to help residents with energy bills.
Georgia Power customers with household income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, for example, can receive a $33.50 discount each month on their electric bill.
This comes out to $402 in savings per year.
“The discount is limited solely to the metered electric service and fuel cost recovery components of a customer’s bill and does not apply to sales taxes or any other aspect of the bill,” reads the state’s Public Service Commission website.
This program started in May last year and has since been expanded, offering substantial support in covering utility costs for seniors, SSI recipients, more.
Low-cost tips to stay cool this summer
Here are some tips to help you keep cool this hot season and save money on energy costs:
- Close the curtains during daylight hours
- Change the filters on your AC unit and ensure it is operating as efficiently as possible
- Run the blades of your fan counterclockwise to push the cold air downward
- Avoid using appliances like your oven, dishwasher, or dryer, which emit heat when in use
- Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothes indoors
- Sleep with sheets instead of heavy blankets
- Drink lots of water and use ice to lower your body temperature
Source: AARP
CALIFORNIA
Californians struggling to pay their utility bills as energy costs surge are in luck, as many utility companies and community organizations offer smaller-scale or emergency assistance funds for certain service areas, per the National Relief Program website.
The Energy Assistance Fund, or EAF, for example, hands out a one-time bill payment of up to $200 for those in need of help, or $300 for all-electric households.
The program is specific to Southern California Edison, or SCE, customers.
Meanwhile, Californians who have received a disconnection notice can get their hands on a one-time energy credit of up to $300 via PG&E’s REACH program.
See why electricity bills are projected to spike by $130 for each household in another US state after a policy switch.
Plus, check out the “vampire solution” that will cut $200 off your energy bills this summer – an expert’s tip offers four little-known benefits.
Energy bills are expected to reach an average of $784 this summer[/caption]
