Frequently asked questions

The Enhanced Energy Affordability Program (EEAP) is a 2-year pilot program that offers discounts to reduce energy costs for low- and moderate-income households. Eligible households receive a fixed discount on their energy bills.

You can only be enrolled in one program, the Energy Affordability Program (EAP) or EEAP. The Energy Affordability Program (EAP) is available to households who receive eligible government assistance benefits. EEAP allows customers who are not eligible for EAP to apply for bill discounts based on income qualifications. If you believe that you are eligible for EAP, you can apply by contacting your utility.

Yes - you can apply for HEAP if you are enrolled in EEAP. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP or LIHEAP) provides assistance to pay for energy bills. You can apply for HEAP through the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).

You can apply online at nyeeap.com or call 877-400-2501 for assistance.

For questions about the program you can also email [email protected] - please note that this email is for questions only and no sensitive documentation should be transmitted via email.

You can also download a paper application and mail it with your supporting documents.

You can apply for the NY EEAP through this site for the following electric and natural gas utilities:

• Central Hudson Gas & Electric
• Con Edison
• National Fuel
• National Grid
• NYSEG
• Orange & Rockland
• RG&E

If you have an electric or natural gas account with a utility not listed above, you can contact them directly to inquire about what bill assistance is available.

The discount you receive varies by utility and what type of energy you receive. You can contact your utility to find out their discount rates.

The following types of income are considered countable. You need to provide documentation of these income sources, covering a full month. If you are unsure of whether you need to provide documentation, you should provide the documentation.

• Gross wages and salaries (before deductions)
• Commissions (before deductions)
• Per diem income (e.g. jury duty, poll worker, exam proctor)
• Net profit from self-employment after allowable deductions
• Net profit from rent after allowable deductions
• Social Security payments
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI), including payments paid to or on behalf of full-time dependent students
• Railroad Retirement benefits
• Retroactive lump sums for Social Security, SSI, or Railroad Retirement which can be prorated over a specific period of time
• Unemployment insurance benefits (UIB), Striker benefits from union funds, workers' compensation payments, and disability payments
• Veteran's benefits, including disability payments, and veteran's survivor's benefits
• Pensions and payments from insurance and annuities
• Alimony/Spousal Support
• Child support payments, court ordered amount or actual amount received if less
• Military family allotments and housing allowance to military personnel
• Regular cash support from family or someone not living in the household
• Dividends & interest
• Royalties
• Income from estates or trusts
• Interest portion of mortgage/land contract payments received by the household
• Disbursements from IRAs and 401Ks
• Severance pay

Excluded Income:

The following income is EXCLUDED from income calculations. You do not need to provide documentation of this income. If you do provide documentation of this income, it will not count it towards your household's income total.

• Reimbursement for expenses, including, but not limited to, medical and/or employment
• Loans, including student loans
• Bonuses, including, but not limited to, holiday, performance, or quarterly
• College/post-secondary school grants and scholarships funds, including stipends issued as part of a fellowship grant
• Earned income of minors
• One-time lump sum payments, such as sale of real property or insurance settlements
• Funds drawn from crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe, Indiegogo, Fundanything, GiveForward, and other fundraising platforms
• Medicare premium Part B deducted from monthly Social Security benefit and Part D Medicare premium
• Irregular and/or infrequent income that does not exceed $30 over a three month period
• Interest accrued on IRAs, 401Ks or other retirement benefits that have not been distributed
• Adoption subsidy payments & payments for foster children
• Tax refunds/tax credits, including Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) payments
• Reverse mortgage or home equity payments
• Special energy assistance payments, cash or in-kind, provided by an energy company or a non-profit agency
• In-kind contributions

To accommodate different payment cycles, provide documents that are dated within the last full month and this month.

The documents must cover at least 28 consecutive days for each income source:

• 4 paystubs if you are paid every week
• 2 paystubs if you are paid every two weeks
• 2 paystubs if you are paid twice a month
• 1 paystub or document if you are paid once a month

If you receive income from more than one source or job, provide documentation for each income source.

Any document that shows the name of the payer, the payee, the gross amount and date(s) of payment is accepted.

• For employment, provide paystubs that show the gross income before deductions.
• For government benefits, provide your most recent award letter.
• For self-employment income, provide documentation of revenue and expenses.

A household is any individual or group of individuals who are living together as one economic unit and share energy costs.

Yes - renters can apply. Someone in your household's name needs to be on the energy account (i.e. your energy account is not in the name of your landlord or leasing company).

You have 14 days after applying to submit all required documentation. If you do not submit all required information by that time, your application will be rejected. You can apply again once you can provide all supporting documentation.

Reviewers will review your application and if additional documentation is required, you will be notified via your preferred contact method (text or email) and you can provide additional documents.

You can log back in and view your latest application status.

We use information from your utility company to ensure you are applying on the right account. Double check the information you provided to ensure that it matches the information on your utility account. Make sure the account number, zip code and last name match your utility bill.

If you recently changed the information on your utility account, please allow at least 48 hours for our system to receive the update from your utility.

You can re-apply if your situation has changed or you were denied for not providing all supporting documentation and now can do so.

If you are not eligible for EEAP, you can contact your utility to discuss other assistance or payment options.

If you are approved, Promise will automatically share your enrollment with your utility. You do not need to contact the utility to share your enrollment.

Once your application is approved, you will receive the EEAP discount within the next two billing cycles. If you do not see your discount after two billing cycles, please follow up with your utility company.

Your account will remain enrolled in the bill discount program for 18 months from the date the credit is applied to your utility bill.

Note that EEAP is a 2-year pilot beginning in January 2026. The program may be changed by the state, which could impact enrollment and/or discounts.

Yes, you will need to apply separately for both utility providers (electric and/or natural gas).

If you move within the state of New York, you can reapply for EEAP when you receive your new utility account number. If you move within the same utility's service area, your new account may automatically be enrolled.