Help paying your electric bill in Delaware
Delaware got $14.0 million in the HHS table, about $35 for each of its 396,209 households. Income limit 60% of state median income; public line 302-397-8408. Heating help reached 8,820 households in FY2024.
Who to call in Delaware
- Delaware LIHEAP public line302-397-8408
- State program sitedhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dss/liheap.html
- Delaware Public Service Commission800-282-8574 · 302-736-7500 · depsc.delaware.gov · complaint form (links checked 2026-10-02)
Shutoff rules and moratoria in Delaware
Delaware: cold weather by dates and temperature; hot weather by dates and temperature; health or age needs yes.
| Protection | Delaware |
|---|---|
| Colder months, by date | November 15 - March 31 |
| Cold temperature | yes, no criteria text |
| Hotter months, by date | June 30 - September 30 |
| Hot temperature | 105°F and above |
| Health or age needs | "That if any occupant of the dwelling unit is so ill that termination of the utility service would adversely affect health or recovery, which fact has been certified by a statement from any licensed Delaware physician or any accredited Christian Science... |
Clearinghouse, April 2026; cites 3002 Regulations of Termination of Service During Extreme Conditions.
Rule text read, 2 October 2026: 26 Del. Admin. Code 3002 (Regulations Governing Termination of Residential Electric or Natural Gas Service by Public Utilities for Non-Payment During Extreme Seasonal Temperature Conditions), esp. 3002-3.0 and 3002-6.0. Delaware bars electric termination for nonpayment on days when the NWS 8 a.m. temperature near the home is 32 F or below (heating season Nov 15 to Mar 31) or when the heat index forecast is 105 F or higher (cooling season Jun 1 to Sep 30). Utilities must give 14 days written notice plus phone attempts. A physician certificate of illness bars termination. Quote: “no covered utility shall terminate service to a dwelling unit during the heating or cooling season for non-payment”. Source: text of the rule (state official (Delaware Register of Regulations admin code page); also read on Cornell LII https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/delaware/26-Del-Admin-Code-SS-3002-6.0 with identical text).
| Point | Delaware: 26 Del. Admin. Code 3002 (Regulations Governing Termination of Residential Electric or Natural Gas Service by Public Utilities for Non-Payment During Extreme Seasonal Temperature Conditions), esp. 3002-3.0 and 3002-6.0 |
|---|---|
| Winter / cold | Heating season Nov 15 to Mar 31 (3002-2.0). No termination for non-payment on a day when the NWS 8:00 A.M. temperature at a Delaware location within 50 miles of the dwelling is 32 F or below. |
| Heat | Cooling season is Jun 1 to Sep 30 (3002-2.0). No termination on a day when the 8:00 A.M. NWS forecast predicts a heat index within 50 miles of 105 F or higher. |
| Who is protected | If any occupant is so ill that termination would adversely affect health or recovery, certified by a licensed Delaware physician or accredited Christian Science practitioner, termination is prohibited (cites 26 Del.C. 117(d)); utility employee must not disconnect after receiving certification. |
| Notice | During heating or cooling season: written notice (first-class mail to billing address) at least 14 calendar days before termination; heating season also at least 2 documented phone attempts on separate days (one after 6 P.M.); cooling season at least 1 phone attempt. Heating season: notice also to occupant if billing address differs. Final in-person contact attempt by employee at disconnection. |
| Payment plan | Notice must offer initial installment agreement: current bills plus monthly installments over a period not less than that during which the arrears were incurred, with interest per tariff; and list charitable or governmental assistance organizations. |
| Who the rule covers | 3002-2.0: covered utility means any utility regulated by the Delaware PSC that supplies electric or natural gas to a dwelling unit. Co-op/muni treatment not stated in text read. |
| Complaints | Notice must name the utility office to report a good-faith billing dispute; termination not allowed pending the dispute. Burden of proof of compliance is on the utility in a PSC proceeding; fine up to twice the arrearage, max $1,000 per day (3002-7.0). PSC complaint phone not read this session. |
Rule applies only to termination during heating or cooling season, and I did not read 3002-5.0 (master meters) in detail, tariffs, or 26 Del.C. 117.
Paraphrase, not legal advice. Rules change; see the shutoff rules guide.
LIHEAP in Delaware: money, limits, people helped
| Measure | Delaware | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Funds FY2026 | $13,955,416 = $12,225,578 + $307,665 IIJA + $1,422,173 | FY26 table |
| Income limit | Heating, Cooling, Crisis, & Weatherization: 60% State Median Income | snapshot 18 Aug 2026 |
| Benefits FY2026 | Heating: $100 minimum, $2,464 maximum Cooling: $1 minimum, $1,000 maximum Crisis: $10,000 maximum | snapshot 18 Aug 2026 |
| Helped FY2024 | Heating: 8,820 Cooling: 9,626 Crisis: 3,944 | snapshot 18 Aug 2026 |
| Program dates | Heating: October 1 - April 30 Cooling: May 1 - August 31 Crisis: Year-round Weatherization: Year-round | snapshot 18 Aug 2026 |
CSV
CSVDelaware in numbers
- Delaware ranks 26th of 51 on FY26 LIHEAP dollars per household ($35), 41st on households below the poverty line (10.3%) and 32nd on low-income energy burden (8.5%).
- Per household below the poverty line (40,749 of them) the FY26 funds come to $342, rank 21st of 51: 18% of a typical year's electricity ($1,915). (even split, not a payment amount)
- 10,526 households got help in FY2022 against 100,163 at or below 60% of state median income in the 2022 LEAD file: about 11% (mixed years).
- Average heating benefit FY2022: $592, 31% of that year.
- Heating season: October 1 - April 30. Counted FY2024: heating, cooling, crisis.
- Neighbours: FY26 dollars per household run from $36 (Maryland) to $44 (Pennsylvania); low-income burden from 5.7% (New Jersey) to 10.0% (Pennsylvania). Delaware: $35 and 8.5%.
Am I likely eligible in Delaware?
Delaware sets its limit at 60% of state median income; no estimate here. Median household income is $82,855.
How heavy is the energy bill in Delaware?
8.5% of income in low-income households, 2.3% overall. Ranking, Delaware prices.
| Group | Count | Delaware detail | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 60% of median income | 100,163 households | 8.5% of income; $1,853 a year on $21,899 | rank 32 of 51 |
| All households | 389,000 households | 2.3%; $2,247 on $97,892 | rank 33 of 51 |
| Below poverty line | 40,749 households | 10.3% of 396,209 | U.S. 12.5%; rank 41 of 51 |
| Home price 2025 | 17.13 ¢/kWh | bill $160 a month at 932 kWh | U.S. 17.30 ¢, $152 |
CSV
CSVUtility and state bill programs in Delaware
None listed for Delaware in the snapshot of 18 Aug 2026; ask the utility.
Delaware on the map
Next to Delaware
Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Most FY26 funds per household: Pennsylvania, $44. Delaware: $35. All 51.
5 steps if you get a shutoff notice in Delaware
- Note the notice date.
- Call the utility (Delaware Public Service Commission sets rules).
- Call 302-397-8408 or 211.
- Ask about dates and temperature-based or health protection.
- Unresolved: Delaware Public Service Commission, 800-282-8574.
Sources
Linked above; list on the hub.
Last verified: 2 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
How big is the energy burden in Delaware?
8.5% of income for low-income households, 2.3% for all; $1,853 a year for the first group.
How many Delaware households got energy help?
10,526 in FY2022, 8,820 heating in FY2024, average heating benefit $592.
Is LIHEAP money enough for a Delaware bill?
$342 per poor household, 18% of $1,915.
How much LIHEAP money does Delaware get?
$14.0 million in FY2026, $35 per household, rank 26 of 51.
What income limit does Delaware use for LIHEAP?
60% of state median income; median household income $82,855; FY2022 heating standard 200% for four.
How do I apply for LIHEAP in Delaware?
Call 302-397-8408. Site: https://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dss/liheap.html
Can Delaware utilities cut power in winter or summer?
dates and temperature for cold; dates and temperature for heat. November 15 - March 31