Assistance available for energy bills
March 31 marked the end of the winter moratorium in Montana, which is that period of time when regulated utility companies need to first obtain approval from the Public Service Commission before disconnecting a customer’s natural gas or electricity account for non-pay.
With the end of the moratorium, many Montanans need some help catching up on that winter energy bill. There are two main sources of home energy assistance in Montana: One is LIHEAP and the other is Energy Share.
Montanans can apply for LIHEAP through April 30. LIHEAP is income-based and many factors are taken into consideration when determining the eligibility amount. Energy Share helps Montanans who are facing loss of heat or lights in their homes and who have no resources to pay the bill themselves. Assistance is situationally-based, not income-based. This means that even if someone has an income that is higher than federal poverty guidelines, if their situation is such that they’re about to lose their heat or lights and they have no money in the bank to pay that bill, there is a good chance Energy Share can help them.
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