Energy Assistance Program (EAP)

How it works

The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) has two parts: Fuel Assistance (FA) and Emergency Crisis Assistance (CAP). Fuel Assistance is intended to help offset rising home heating costs. Crisis Assistance is designed to help with heating equipment needs and emergency fuel outages.

What the money covers

Fuel Assistance provides supplemental help with home heating expenses.

Crisis Assistance may help with:

• Deposits: one deposit per lifetime per fuel type (natural gas, electric, and LP gas).
• Heating equipment: replacement, purchase, or repair of a primary heating source.
• Primary fuel: assistance when you have a cutoff notice for electric or gas, or are almost out of fuel oil, wood, coal, or island-purchased kerosene.

Cooling Assistance is offered in the summer. The page says services can include:

• electric payments
• electric security deposits
• window air conditioners if there is no AC in the home at all
• window fans if there is no cooling equipment in the home
• repairs for homeowners with central AC

Timing and deadlines

• Fuel Assistance opens the 2nd Tuesday in October.
• The last day to apply for Fuel Assistance is the 2nd Friday in November.
• Crisis Assistance deposits begin the first working day in November.
• Heating equipment crisis assistance begins the first working day in November.
• Primary fuel crisis assistance begins the first working day in January.
• Cooling Assistance was noted as beginning June 15, 2022; the page also says additional bills can be submitted up to August 15 to receive additional payment/benefit toward the bill.

How to apply

For more information or to request an application for any of the programs listed, the page directs applicants to contact the department by phone or email, and it also says you can apply online for Energy Assistance.

Notes

For Cooling Assistance, the benefit pays the amount of the bill balance at the time of application. If you qualify but do not owe the full amount of the benefit, you must bring in additional bills each month up to the deadline to receive additional payment toward the bill.