The public and private funds will be used to provide needy residents with home weatherization and crisis assistance to help pay utility bills. The combined resources are anticipated to serve about 70,000 North Carolina families.
“I commend our corporate citizens, including Progress Energy, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, PSNC, North Carolina Power and the Electricities that provide power to North Carolina citizens,” Gov. Mike Easley said. “These additional dollars allow us to make nearly $10 million available to provide crisis assistance and cut the state weatherization waiting list in half.
“The unusually high fuel prices this year highlight the need for a national energy solution. I have joined with other governors to urge Washington to act, but in the meantime, we are going to do what we can to help our most vulnerable citizens stay warm this winter. Through the weatherization program alone, average consumers will see their energy bill reduced by about a quarter.”
Most utility programs offer some type of charitable contribution program where customers and/or their employees can donate money that will go to other customers struggling to pay their bills. Some companies, including Duke and Progress, provide matching funds for donations.
Easley said the state will provide a total of $6.5 million for this effort. This includes $3.4 million in crisis intervention funds from the Contingency and Emergency Fund. The use of these funds must be approved by the Council of State.
Easley also announced that energy companies will match the state’s crisis intervention program by providing $3.4 million in donations for use by low-income consumers statewide. In addition, the state will redirect $3.1 million in existing funding to weatherization programs.
Energy costs are expected to rise dramatically for the coming heating season, with natural gas prices rising more than 50 percent and heating oil and propane prices increasing more than 30 percent over last year’s prices. According to conservative estimates, these price increases will increase the average home utility bills by $300 to $400 over the course of the heating season.
The state will join with private energy companies to provide an additional $6.8 million to families in crisis. The state crisis intervention program, administered through DHHS Division of Social Services, provides a maximum of $300 in energy assistance to low-income families who can demonstrate a heating or cooling crisis.
Families in financial need may contact their local Division of Social Services office for more information.
Weatherization programs are administered through state Department of Health and Human Services. The weatherization program currently provides comprehensive weatherization services to 3,500 low-income families a year. About 70 percent of recipients are elderly.
There is currently a waiting list of 2,500 eligible families who have signed up for the program but have not received services.
With the funds made available by Easley, this waiting list will be cut in half.
