Governor boosts assistance for weatherization, heating bills
Gov. Mike Easley announced a plan Nov. 16 to provide nearly $10 million in
public and private resources to help low-income North Carolinians with the
high heating costs expected this winter. The 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 ElectriCities that provide
power to North Carolina citizens,” said Easley. “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,” said Easley. “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. The Governor 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 the Department of Health and Human Services’ (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 DHHS. The weatherization program
currently provides comprehensive weatherization services to 3,500 low-income
families per 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 governor’s funds announcement, the
waiting list will be cut in half.
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