The Electric Assistance Program: New Hampshire's discount on electric bills
An electric bill that is too high every single month needs more than a one-time grant. New Hampshire's answer is the Electric Assistance Program, usually called the EAP, which changes the bill itself instead of paying it once.
This page covers that one program: what the discount is, who qualifies, how the application works, and what enrollment looks like. It ends with where to turn when a discount is not enough, and it points to the separate pages on this site for heating help, weatherization, and each utility company's own programs.
What the discount is and who qualifies
The EAP takes a percentage off each month's electric bill. The lower a household's income, the larger the percentage, and the discount appears directly on the bill with the household paying whatever remains.
Four companies participate: Eversource, Unitil, Liberty, and the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative. What matters is the account — if the electric bill from one of these utilities comes in your name, you may apply whether you rent or own your home.
The income limit is tied to the state median income and is checked at the time you apply. The current dollar limits by household size are posted with the rest of the rules on the New Hampshire Department of Energy's Electric Assistance Program page at https://www.energy.nh.gov/consumers/help-energy-and-utility-bills/electric-assistance-program.
Applying through a Community Action Agency
The Department of Energy runs the program, but the Community Action Agencies take the applications. Call the agency that covers your county and ask for an appointment.
One appointment can do triple duty. The same visit may cover applications for Electric Assistance, Fuel Assistance, and Weatherization Assistance together, you do not need one program to get another, and eligibility can usually be settled in a single sitting.
Bring proof of income for everyone in the household, plus whatever else the agency lists when you book. If you are homebound, ask about a phone interview, a home visit, or a mail-in application — all three exist. The agency covering each county is listed on the Department of Energy's Community Action Agency page at https://www.energy.nh.gov/consumers/help-energy-and-utility-bills/community-action-agencies. Community action agencies across the state can provide other forms of assistance as well, and see the NHPB guide to New Hampshire community action agency programs.
What enrollment looks like
Enrollment runs in 12-month stretches. To keep the discount going after a year, you apply again.
The money behind the program comes from a small charge that every electric customer in the state pays. Benefits depend on the funds available in a given year, so a qualified household may still face a wait — apply rather than assume either way.
One honest caution: the discount shrinks the bill, but it does not pay it. The remaining balance is still yours each month, and falling behind on it can still lead toward a shutoff.
When the discount is not enough
A disconnect notice calls for a different tool. Neighbor Helping Neighbor is a charitable fund for Eversource, Unitil, and Liberty customers facing disconnection who cannot get government energy assistance, and its grants go straight to the utility. Applications run through the same Community Action Agencies — bring the disconnect notice and proof of income, and details sit on the Neighbor Helping Neighbor help page at https://www.nhnfund.org/getting-help.
Members of the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative fall outside that fund. If you are a co-op member in crisis, ask NHEC directly what member assistance it offers.
When the emergency is heat rather than electricity — an empty oil tank, a furnace shutoff threat in winter — the Fuel Assistance Program is built for it. Who qualifies and how its emergency help works are covered in the NHPB guide to fuel assistance and weatherization in New Hampshire. For payment plans and the programs each utility company runs on its own, the NHPB guide to utility and energy bill assistance in New Hampshire covers that ground.
Discount levels, income limits, and funding for the Electric Assistance Program are set through state proceedings and change over time, and charitable grant money runs out. Confirm current terms with your Community Action Agency or your utility before relying on anything here. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice.
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