Need for Winter Energy Assistance Outpaces Fundin

As temperatures drop the need for winter protections is confronting more and more families. Operation Fuel estimates that about 400,000 families in Connecticut can't afford their energy bills.

Several weeks ago Operation Fuel gave the shocking announcement that it had run out of funds and was forced to end the application period for summer/fall one month early. They will begin accepting applications for winter/spring on January 2, 2024.

The crisis is attributed to rising prices, rising need, and ending of federal pandemic funds. In response have come public calls for use of emergency state funds and demands for more federal funding.

Despite rising need, with applications up 20%,, Congress did not increase funding for the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program,m while at the same time increasing military spending to $1 trillion.

Home heating help is , however, available through the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP)., run by the Department of Social Services.

“The Energy Assistance Program is open and applications are being taken. And we want to make sure that everyone has their heating needs, and stays warm and safe this winter.” says the agency.

“CEAP is a vital program that helps ensure Connecticut residents don’t have to choose between heating their homes and other essential expenses.”.

CEAP is currently accepting applications for the 2023-24 winter period. Connecticut residents can apply for assistance through May 31. Information and applications are available at each town's Community Action Agency. Applications can also be done online at ct.gov/heatinghelp.

Rising electricity prices causing more families to seek help, were accompanied by record company profits announced by Avangrid and Eversource earlier this year. Avangrid, parent company of United Illuminating increased profits 25% while Eversource reported record profits in excess of $1.4 billion for 2022.

The number of people applying for help has risen every year for the last three years. Assistance was approved for 107,000 last year and it is expected that number will be higher this year.

“The need in our state has grown to a tremendous degree,” said Gannon Long, chief programs officer for Operation Fuel. “In the past couple of years, we’ve seen a huge increase in demand across the board.”

Last year, Operation Fuel approved around 3,900 applications during its Summer/Fall application period, practically double the number of families from the previous year which was 2,000.