Nevada receives remaining federal energy assistance funding

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the remaining $1.4 million in federal funding Thursday meant to help low-income Nevadans pay utility bills.

Nevada was awarded about $15 million in funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) this year, but had not received the remaining 10% of its allocated funding before the Trump administration fired every employee responsible for administering the funds.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday they would release the nearly $400 million in LIHEAP utility assistance funding that had not yet been distributed to states by Thursday.

“I am committed to ensuring that our programs run efficiently. With today’s announcement, all available LIHEAP funding for this fiscal year will be released. We will continue to work with our state, tribal, and territorial partners to ensure this funding reaches eligible families,” said Andrew Gradison, Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.

Utility advocates and Democrats in Congress raised the alarm about last month, warning that the gutting of federal workers and the program could leave the funds in limbo.

After news of the mass firing last month, Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen and several other Democratic senators sent a letter to HHS demanding the agency release all of the LIHEAP funds that Congress has appropriated.

“By terminating all 23 employees tasked with overseeing LIHEAP, it is now unclear how these funds will be administered. In our view, that is unacceptable,” read the letter. “Failure to disburse these funds constitutes an illegal impoundment of bipartisan, congressionally appropriated funds and will put the health and well-being of some of the most vulnerable people in America at risk.”

Nevada’s Energy Assistance Program received more than half its funding from LIHEAP last year, making it a vital source of utility assistance funding for the state.

Last year, Nevada received more than $17 million in LIHEAP funding to help 12,000 low-income households in the state keep their power on. A portion of those funds were also used to help low-income households pay for upgrades that improve energy efficiency and lower power bills in the long term.

The Nevada’s Energy Assistance Program paid out another $13.8 million in benefits last year from state revenue generated from Nevada’s Universal Energy Charge which helped another nearly 6,000 households pay their utilities. 

Still, as temperatures rise there is a growing demand for utility assistance funding in the state. Nearly 32,000 Nevadans had their power disconnected by NV Energy for nonpayment in 2024, according to data from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.

In Southern Nevada, where temperatures reached 100 degrees or higher for 64 consecutive days in 2024, air conditioning is a life-saving necessity.

The state’s ability to provide energy assistance could be reduced even more in 2026, as LIHEAP was among 60 programs President Donald Trump asked Congress to defund in a budget request Friday.

Nevada’s Energy Assistance Program begins July 1st and applications are accepted through June 30th. Applications are evaluated year round or until funding is exhausted. Eligible households receive an annual, one-time per year benefit customarily paid directly to their energy provider.

Those interested in applying for LIHEAP can visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline toll-free at: 1-866-674-6327.  

Households can easily identify if they may be eligible for assistance by using the LIHEAP Eligibility Tool on energyhelp.us.