Hagåtña, Guam – The Office of the Governor of Guam announces the annual launch of Guam’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Guam Energy Office (GEO) will lead the implementation and execution of this program as a sub-recipient of a $749,129 allocation awarded to the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS).
The overall goal of the LIHEAP program is to provide financial assistance to reduce costs associated with home energy bills and to help prevent an energy crisis. The Crisis Assistance program returns for this year’s LIHEAP and will again provide up to $1,000 of power utility debt relief to income-qualifying households facing imminent disconnection. Applicants must have received a notice of disconnection from the Guam Power Authority (GPA) or be disconnected. The program will not pay for those who only show a past due amount. Applications for the crisis program will be accepted beginning Monday, February 24, 2025, and will continue until August 15, 2025, or until funds are exhausted.
An added component for this year is the Cooling Assistance Credit Program, which will provide a $100 credit over a 6-month period (March to August) to help income-qualifying households reduce their monthly power utility costs and keep peace of mind while enduring Guam’s heat. Households do not need to be in arrears to apply, however, due to the limited amount of funds allocated to the credit program, applications will only be accepted for two weeks, from Monday, February 24, 2025, to Friday, March 7, 2025. Applications for the credit program are on a first-come-first-served basis.
“While there are practical limits to what a household can do to reduce home energy consumption, there are actions that our government can take to reduce the pressure of rising prices on struggling families. Initiatives aimed at keeping families safe and healthy remain a priority for our administration,” said Acting Governor Josh Tenorio.
“Last year’s program successfully assisted over 800 households experiencing an energy crisis. With the direction we are taking to add a credit component, we anticipate a smaller amount of families falling into the crisis level. Additionally, our office will evaluate all LIHEAP applicants for eligibility for our Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), allowing us to further assist families with home energy conservation measures,” said GEO Director Rebecca Respicio.
For details on LIHEAP eligibility and benefits, visit energy.guam.gov. Applications will be available online, or hard copies can be picked up between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Guam Energy Office, 158 N. Marine Corps Drive, Tamuning. Submissions will only be accepted in person at the Guam Energy Office. Applications must be complete with supporting documents to be accepted.
Qualified applicants’ payments will be made directly to the GPA. For more information, call 671-646-4361.
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