Low-income families in Oregon can get help with heating and energy. If you are having difficulty paying energy and utility bills can receive financial help from 15 local and regional programs that pay heating and cooling bills. Utility companies sponsor these energy programs, and the government offers assistance with electricity, gas, and making mandatory repairs to make your home more energy-efficient. Let’s see what they have to offer you.
Oregon Heating and Energy Assistance
1. LIRAP Energy Assistance
LIRAP Stands for Local Income Rate Assistance Program. It is a program run by the state of Oregon’s Community action agencies. Private donations fund the program, so there are sometimes limits on how many people can be helped. If you are eligible, LIRAP provides compensation with grants to help you pay your gas bill.
The eligibility for LIRAPis if your gross family income is at or below the US Federal Poverty Guidelines. You apply through your local community action agency, which you can find through the link below.
2. Project Share
Project SHARE is a program started by the Salvation Army. They offer heating and energy assistance to low-income residents or Oregon First; they will pay reconnection fees for those who had their services disconnected involuntarily.
Second, they will help with home equipment repairs for homeowners, and they offer once-a-year vendor payments for low-income families. Below you will find the number for the two Oregon Salvation Army offices that offer this program.
Baker City Office Phone Number: ( 541 ) 523 – 5853
Ontario Office Phone Number: ( 541 ) 889 – 1060
3. Blachy-Lane Energy Share
Blachly-Lane Country Cooperative Electric Association is another group that works in partnership with the Salvation Army to run its program called BLES, or Blachly-Lane Energy Share.
This company works to provide financial help to customers that do not qualify for aid elsewhere. It is only available to their customers, but it is a good option for people who are not eligible for aid through other organizations. Call( 541 ) 688 – 8711
4. Central Electric Cooperative
The Central Electric Cooperative is another electric company that offers aid to customers who cannot pay their entirety. They also offer incentives for weatherizing your home. Below are the phone numbers for their different offices. The services they do offer are limited, and they are only offered to Central Electric Cooperative customers.
Call Bend – Phone Number: ( 541 ) 389 – 1980
Prineville – Phone Number: ( 541 ) 447 – 5321
Redmond – Phone Number: ( 541 ) 548 – 2144
Madras – Phone Number: ( 541 ) 265 -3211
Sisters – Phone Number: ( 541 ) 549 – 5698
5. LIHEAP
LIHEAP, or the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, is a federally funded program to help low-income households cover their heating and cooling bills. If you are eligible for other programs such as SNAP, SSI, or TANF, you will automatically meet the eligibility requirement for LIHEAP.
This Oregon heating and energy program issues a check annually to help with utilities. Furthermore, to apply, you must have an annual household income at least 60 percent below the State Median Income and be an Oregon resident. However, there are other LIHEAP programs for other states. Call: 1 ( 800 ) 453 – 5511
6. Energy Bill Assistance Program
The Energy Bill Assistance Program is a program that many companies offer in addition to LIHEAP. The Canby Utility Assistance Program will help. They can provide up to 150 dollars of emergency aid if you have a disconnected service. If approved for LIHEAP, you can receive up to 150 dollars of aid from Cascade Locks.
There are a few other places where you can get additional aid through this program. Still, it is important to remember that it is an extension of LIHEAP. Most of the time, you should start there before looking towards programs that provide additional aid.
Canaby Utility Board Phone Number: ( 503 ) 266 – 1156
City of Cascade Locks: ( 541 ) 374 – 8484
7. Winter Help
Winter Help is a program started in 1989 by Cascade Natural Gas to help its customers. Since it opened, they have helped 10,000 families. However, they run on donations, so funding can sometimes be limited.
The program is designed to help low-income families and individuals who risk losing their utility or heating services. They give out aid to families once a year to their needy customers. Cascade Natural Gas also excepts grants from other aid groups. Call: ( 888 ) 522 – 1130
8. Columbia River Public Utility District
The Columbia River Public Utility District has a few programs to help its customers afford utility and heat. First, GLOW (or Give Light, Offer Warmth) is a community-funded program that provides for people in need. This includes paying Columbia River PUD customers’ bills.
They also offer a Special Waiver program that gives income-qualified customers a 12-dollar discount off their base charge. Finally, they have senior discounts that provide a 12-dollar discount off the base charge and a 10 percent discount on their Energy Charge bill.
They also have a weatherization program that provides heating and energy assistance to all qualified families living in Oregon. Still, they offer weatherization services at no cost to households at least 60 percent below Oregon’s median income. Weatherization will improve the efficiency of your home and, therefore, could lower your bill significantly. Call: ( 503 ) 301 -7388
9. The Operation Round-Up
Operation Round-up is a program run by Consumers Energy Inc. This program is funded when its members round up their bills and donate a little extra amount. They then distribute this money to various community action agencies within Consumer Energy Inc.’s territory.
This money is then used to help low-income families pay for their winter heating bills and get winterization for their homes. While these awards are not typically granted directly through Consumers Energy Inc., they will have more information on how to get them. Call: ( 800 ) 696 – 6552
10. Emerald PUD
Emerald PUD has a couple of different programs to help its customers. One of which, called ERAP, provides qualified customers with 200 dollars in aid spread over four months.
The program typically targets low-income seniors and customers with disabilities. But help, there is also help for other customers in need. They also have a Helping Hand program, and REACH is an additional program by Emerald PUD that offer their customers grants. Phone Number: ( 541 ) 746 – 1583
11. Eugene Water and Electric Board
This is another company that offers a few different programs to help out its customers. One is the Deposit Guarantor program, which covers half of the customer’s account deposit. They also have a Universal Service Plan to help low-income elderly and disabled customers with low payments and weatherization services.
Additionally, they have a military assistance program that provides help to those deployed overseas. Finally, depending on their need, EWEB may forgive a customer’s bill after completing a program. Phone Number: ( 800 ) 841 -5871
12. Hood River Electric Cooperative
The Hood River Electric Cooperative also has a round-up program that funds its plan to help needy customers. People’s contributions towards their programs provide low-income families not eligible for other programs like LIHEAP with financial services.
Therefore, if you are a Hood River Electric Cooperative customer and got denied LIHEAP, you may want to try directly with HREC next. Phone Number: ( 541 ) 354 – 1233
13. Oregon HEAT
Oregon HEAT is an assistance program not directly tied to any company, so it is available across the state. This program aims to prevent service disconnection through the winter or during inclement weather. They provide bill payment aid to families with low to moderate income facing emergencies or other forms of hardship.
They work with local charities, government agencies, and non-profit agencies to help people apply and quickly get their applications screened. You can find out more about what is available to you through this program at your local community action agency. Call: ( 503 ) 612 – 3790
14. Oregon Trail Power and Light
If you are receiving LIHEAP through the state, you may also be eligible for financial assistance from Oregon Trail Power and Light. They offer service to their qualified customers once a year to help pay bills, pay reconnection fees, and help pay deposit fees or a portion of the arrearage. Remember to get this program. You have to be first excepted into the LIHEAP program.
Baker Office: ( 541 ) 523 – 3616
Burns Office: ( 541 ) 575 – 0161
John Day Office: ( 541 ) 575 – 0161
la Grande Office: ( 541 ) 963 – 3155
15. Umatilla Electric Cooperative
The Umatilla Electric Cooperative also has a customer assistance program that allows customers/members to help other members pay their bills and keep the heat throughout the winter.
If you struggle to pay your heating or utility bills through the Umatilla Electric Cooperative, you can apply to their UCARE program to get a grant or aid. You can request these funds any time between October to March heating seasons and the cooling seasons of June through August.
Hermiston Office ( 541 ) 567 – 6414
Boardman Office ( 541 ) 481 – 2220