LIHEAP helping thousands in Louisville with past due energy bills

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Appointments for energy bill assistance are all booked up in Louisville Metro for the week.

This fall, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has helped about 10,000 low-income households.

Program Supervisor Brandon O'Neal said before the COVID-19 pandemic, they helped between 7,000-8,000 on average. He added that the extra pandemic funding they've had in recent years has ended, meaning the money people could get last year — up to $400 — is now constrained to a one-time payment of up to $200, depending on a person's income. The lack of extra funds comes at a time when heating bills are higher than usual.

"We're seeing extremely high bills, some worth upward of 1,000, sometimes even $2,000 LG&E bills. So, the need is clearly there," O'Neal said. "We are also assisting with MSD water bills as well, so we're doing whatever we can do to help fulfill that void."

Despite the increase in applications and additional pandemic funding ending, O'Neal said he is confident in the program long-term.

"I believe the sustainability of LIHEAP will be here," he said. "The LIHEAP funding will remain. The COVID funding for the additional programs like Spring Subsidy and Summer Cooling, that funding source would go away. So, we would not have Spring Subsidy and Summer Cooling in the future at this time."

The LIHEAP Crisis Program will run from Jan. 9, 2023, to March 31 and will give up to $400 in assistance.

"For the Crisis Phase, all you need is a past due bill," O'Neal said. "So, if their bill is past due, they can receive assistance as long as they're with or at 130% of the federal poverty guideline."

For more information about LIHEAP, click here.