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Georgians who need help to pay high winter energy bills could see delays getting that money because of the government shutdown that ended earlier this month, according to the agencies that administer the assistance program locally.
Many seniors and other people in low-income households rely on the federal Low Income Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, to pay their bills as temperatures get colder. While the funding is federal, at the state level it flows through the Georgia Department of Human Services to local community action agencies. Those local agencies are the ones Georgians actually apply to and receive money from.
That process requires staff, local offices, application portals and other infrastructure that the agencies typically spend the fall setting up so they can open the program in December, according to Consuelo Thomson, executive director of the Georgia Community Action Association. But that’s exactly when the federal government shut down.
“Many of the agencies, because of the government shutdown, used or depleted a significant amount of the funds … those rainy day type funds,” Thomson said. “We had to really hold it down for a lot longer than anticipated. We’re having to do damage control and build back up resources.”
While the agencies expect to have the money people need, she said, it might take longer than usual to dole it out.
“We are asking that everyone just give us a little grace and patience and work with us,” Thomson said.
Delayed LIHEAP payments could cause serious problems for some users if they are at risk of having their electric service disconnected because it could leave them unable to pay their bill. But Thomson said the community action agencies have good relationships with electric utilities like Georgia Power and local electric membership cooperatives.
“Sometimes they allow a level of grace as it relates to disconnect because we’re able to say, ‘Hey, this person is approved [for assistance], we have their application,’ we may be able to – we may, now, no guarantee – we may be able to stop the disconnect,” she said.
A spokesperson for Georgia Electric Membership Corporation, an umbrella group representing the state’s electric membership cooperatives, encouraged Georgians facing delays in LIHEAP funding to contact their individual EMC.
“As member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives, Georgia’s EMCs are committed to working with their members to address their unique needs, especially during challenging times,” senior communications specialist Kim Broun wrote in an email. “Each EMC operates independently, and many have options in place to assist members who may be experiencing financial hardship.”
In a statement, Georgia Power also encouraged customers facing hardship to reach out directly.
“Regardless of federal funding changes, Georgia Power remains committed to supporting customers in need,” company spokesman Matthew Kent said in an email. “We offer several assistance options, including the income qualified discount program, flexible payment arrangements, several rate options, and programs funded through customer and employee contributions that provide direct bill-payment support.”