Michigan PSC Awards $28 Million for Low-Income Energy Needs

In two separate rounds of grants last month, the Michigan Public Service Commission awarded the state LIHEAP office and various nonprofits $20 million for low-income bill payment assistance and $8 million for low-income energy efficiency.

Through the first round of funding, the Family Independence Agency (FIA), the LIHEAP grantee, received $10 million for low-income households to restore their energy services (if disconnected), and to prevent threatened shut-offs of energy services. Other major energy assistance grants went to the following:

• Michigan Community Action Agency Association: $2.5 million for direct heating assistance and deliverable fuels programs for low-income households
• Salvation Army: $3.4 million to serve households statewide that are ineligible for assistance from FIA or for whom such assistance is insufficient or not available
• THAW (The Heat and Warmth Fund of Detroit): $3.4 million for the THAW Safety Net Program

The second round of funding provided the FIA with $4.24 million for a statewide partnership program with the community action and weatherization network to assist low-income households to become energy self-sufficient through energy efficiency upgrades and education. METRO Neighborhood Housing & Community Development received $1.7 million for improving the energy efficiency of urban homes located in 15 statewide communities by providing energy audits, efficiency upgrades, and energy efficiency training of all participants in the program.

These grants are part of Michigan’s Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund originally established as part of the Customer Choice and Electricity Reliability Act of 2000 (Public Act 141). The purpose of the fund is to provide shut-off and other protections for low-income customers and to promote energy efficiency by all customer classes.

Page Last Updated: December 7, 2005