Lower-income Coloradans face skyrocketing utility bills now have a one-stop place to go to find help

Lower-income Coloradans facing skyrocketing utility bills now have a one-stop place to find help.

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission announced a pilot program to connect people who are rejected by the federal Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) with utility energy assistance programs, all in one place.

“Until now, the primary way to access utility-run energy assistance programs was by being approved for LEAP, as LEAP directly refers customers to utility programs,” said a news release from the PUC. “PUC’s program closes that gap, providing a new pathway to utility energy bill assistance.”

The utility assistance programs cap a customer’s monthly energy bill to no more than six percent of their monthly income.

“While utility bills are not expected to be near what we saw last winter, natural gas is an international commodity that remains subject to market forces,” said Rebecca White, Director of the Public Utilities Commission, in the release. “As Colorado continues the transition to stable, renewable energy sources, the Utility Bill Help program is intended to support those who need it the most.”

“With this pilot we are helping to connect Coloradans that need help with existing dollars designed to help keep utility bills affordable,” White said. “What the PUC learns this winter will help us simplify and improve this process for the long term.”

The pilot program is a response to directives from Gov. Jared Polis last winter urging state agencies, nonprofits and utilities to find ways to address energy affordability.

In February 2023, and partly in response to the $500 million energy bill faced by Xcel customers after winter storm Uri in 2022, Polis issued a letter directing state agencies to collaborate to address energy costs and find ways to relieve the burden of unpredictable spikes in winter heating costs.

“Recent examples of price swings include large natural gas price spikes resulting from Winter Storm Uri and the war in Ukraine, which has been disrupting markets for nearly a year,” said Polis in the letter. “I hear from concerned Coloradans and businesses about how these costs directly affect livelihoods and strain household budgets. It does not have to be this way.”

Applicants must meet the following qualifications:

• Have applied for LEAP benefits for the 2023-2024 heating season, but the application has been denied.

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• Be a customer of Xcel Energy, Black Hills Energy, Atmos Energy, or Colorado Natural Gas.

• Be receiving assistance from one of the following benefit programs:

• Aid to the Needy Disabled (AND)

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

• Woman, Infants and Children (WIC)

• Subsidized Housing (Housing Choice Voucher, previously called Section 8)

The Utility Bill Help pilot launched in December and continues through May.

For more information visit the Utility Bill Help program, call 303-869-0380, or email dora_utility_bill_help@state.co.us.

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