PHOENIX, AZ – Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Economic Security announced the Department will provide a total of $36 million to support eligible households in need of temporary utility assistance and ensure continuity of services.
Through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) is partnering with Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP), UniSource Energy Services (UES), Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and Southwest Gas to ensure the funding will apply directly to customer accounts once their program eligibility is confirmed. After this initial pilot, DES intends to expand this payment model to all utility providers statewide.
The utility companies will reach out to potentially eligible customers to ensure they qualify, and transmit the information to DES in order to receive a lump sum payment. Through this simple process, customers will receive critical assistance in a more streamlined and efficient manner.
Announcement of the utility assistance funding comes as the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that American households will spend more money on energy this winter compared to last year.