Middle-income Arizonans may be eligible for up to $640 in state assistance to help pay their utility bills through a soon-to-expire program.
Individuals making up to $56,150 per year, or families of four making up to roughly $107,981 per year, are eligible for the state-run bill assistance program Power AZ. The temporary program expands the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to residents who make more than 60% of the state median income or 150% of the federal poverty level.
Some applicants may also be eligible for a one-time $500 "crisis" supplement. In a given year, applicants are eligible for one "regular" and one "crisis" support.
The application for both LIHEAP and Power AZ is available at des.az.gov/liheap.
“Many people may not realize
they meet the eligibility requirements because they think they earn too much for bill assistance, but those are precisely the customers this program was created for,” said Danielle Evans, chief customer officer for APS, in a statement.
Record-breaking heat this summer led to record-breaking demand for both Salt River Project and Arizona Public Service, which together serve a large portion of Arizona’s residents. A recent analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration data by Power Choice Texas found that Arizona had some of the highest air conditioning and cooling costs in the nation.
The deadline to apply is Sept. 30 or earlier if funds are exhausted. The program was launched on March 23, 2026, with $15 million. Roughly a quarter of the funds remain, after a publicity blitz that sent roughly $2.5 million to applicants over a two-week period at the beginning of September.
Alaina Mencinger covers energy, tech and utilities for the Arizona Republic. Reach her at Alaina.Mencinger@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona utility assistance offers up to $640. Who qualifies?
