Maine’s Emergency Heating Fund Pays Up to $500 to HEAP-Eligible Households Starting Nov. 1, After Heating Oil Topped $6 a Gallon in September
A 200-gallon heating oil delivery in Maine cost about $1,210 at the state’s latest average price, and the households least able to pay for it get a new source of emergency help on Sunday, Nov. 1. That is the day Maine’s Energy Crisis Intervention Program, known as ECIP, opens for the 2026-2027 season, offering up to $500 to households that qualify for the state’s main heating aid program. The money arrives after heating oil set a record above $6 a gallon in September.
The Maine Department of Energy Resources’ 2026-2027 Winter Heating Guide says ECIP provides emergency fuel assistance to HEAP-eligible households, and that “a household may be eligible for up to $500 in emergency funds” to avert an energy crisis beginning after Nov. 1.
A $500 Backstop for Tanks Running Dry
ECIP is not a general winter grant. MaineHousing, the quasi-state agency that runs the state’s heating programs, describes it on its HEAP program page as crisis assistance for households with an extremely low supply of heating fuel.
The application period runs from Nov. 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027, according to MaineHousing. The order matters: a household must complete a HEAP application first, then contact its local Community Action Agency to check whether it qualifies for ECIP.
That means a family that waits until the gauge reads empty to file its first HEAP paperwork adds a step at the worst possible moment. HEAP itself has been open since Aug. 3, 2026, and stays open until funds run out or May 29, 2027, whichever comes first.
Oil Climbed From $4.40 to More Than $6 in Three Months
Maine’s fuel survey shows how quickly the math changed. The statewide average for heating oil reached $6.02 a gallon in the Sept. 21 survey, with kerosene at $6.88.
Prices have not eased since. As of Oct. 26, the state’s heating fuel price page listed heating oil at $6.05 a gallon, with dealers ranging from $5.50 to $6.81. Kerosene averaged $7.06 and propane $3.57.
The Portland Press Herald reported that #2 heating oil cost $4.40 a gallon in June, before the late-summer jump pushed it to a September record of more than $6.
The Average HEAP Award Now Buys About 115 Gallons
The regular HEAP benefit was set over the summer, before the spike. The Press Herald reported that the average award came to about $700, and MaineHousing spokesperson Scott Thistle told the paper the benefit “will just not be as deep” this year.
At the Oct. 26 average of $6.05, a $700 credit covers roughly 115 gallons of heating oil. At June’s $4.40 price, the same credit would have covered about 159 gallons. That is about 44 fewer gallons for the same award.
That shortfall is where ECIP fits in. A household that burns through its HEAP credit and drops to a dangerously low supply can apply for up to $500 more, which at current prices is worth about 80 more gallons.
Massachusetts has taken a different route this winter, creating a new heating oil benefit of up to $680 for middle-income households, while New Hampshire raised its top fuel assistance benefit to $2,500.
Who Qualifies Under the New Income Limits
Because ECIP is open only to HEAP-eligible households, the HEAP income limits decide who can get the $500. MaineHousing’s current table sets the maximum gross household income at:
- $38,070 a year for one person
- $49,784 for two people
- $61,498 for three people
- $73,213 for a family of four
- $84,927 for five people
- $96,641 for six people
Households slightly over the limit may still qualify, because MaineHousing allows a portion of eligible medical expenses to be deducted. Renters and homeowners can both apply. In most cases, the benefit is paid straight to the fuel dealer and shows up as a credit on the account.
Applicants need proof of identity and citizenship for everyone in the household, proof of gross income, recent energy bills and their heating fuel type. MaineHousing warns that applications missing documents are denied.
Early Credits Already Reached About 4,400 Households
Some of the most vulnerable households are already ahead. In an Oct. 8 release, MaineHousing said it was sending nearly $4 million left over from the 2025-2026 season to fuel vendors as early HEAP payments for about 4,400 households with older adults, young children or people with disabilities.
HEAP usually helps about 40,000 Maine households a season. Maine receives about $38 million a year in federal LIHEAP money, with about $26 million going to direct heating assistance, and the rest paying for heating system improvements, emergency fuel intervention and weatherization. The federal grant typically arrives in late October or early November.
MaineHousing Director Dan Brennan used the release to urge anyone who expects to struggle with heating costs this winter to apply for HEAP now, rather than waiting until a heating crisis or emergency hits.
Gov. Janet Mills said in the same release that she would “continue to urge Congress to increase LIHEAP funding.”
Electric customers behind on their bills have another option tied to the same eligibility. The Winter Heating Guide says HEAP-eligible customers of Central Maine Power and Versant Power with a past-due balance of $500 or more that is at least 90 days old can enroll in the Arrearage Management Program, which forgives the old balance a twelfth at a time, as long as the current bill is paid on time.
Applications can be filed online at ecos.mainehousing.org or through a local Community Action Agency. Residents who don’t know which agency serves their town can call 2-1-1 Maine. HEAP-eligible households can also qualify for a 30% natural gas discount, electric bill help through the Low-Income Assistance Program, and furnace repair or replacement grants through the Central Heating Improvement Program, according to the state’s Winter Heating Guide.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Daderot – CC0/Wikimedia Commons
