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)
National LIHEAP line 1-866-674-6327; 211 for local help.
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 practitioner, when such certification is received by the covered utility or its employee, termination of service is prohibited by Delaware Law." |
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 ($1,894). (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 | 17.15 ¢/kWh | bill $158 a month at 920 kWh | U.S. 17.23 ¢, $151 |
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 the cold-weather rule (dates and temperature) 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 $1,894.
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?
Cold months: by dates (November 15 - March 31) and temperature. Hot months: by dates (June 30 - September 30) and temperature (105°F and above).