From October 2009 through July 2010, Hopelink awarded nearly $3 million in federal and Puget Sound Energy-funded grants to PSE customers living in North and East King County who needed assistance to pay their energy bills.

Hopelink issued grants to more than 7,000 PSE customers from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, and from PSE’s Home Energy Lifeline Program, or HELP.

“We are pleased that the funding of both LIHEAP and HELP made a difference for our neighbors who needed assistance with paying their energy bills, especially during these tough economic times,” said Patrick Lawlor, Energy Programs manager.

Depending on income and household size, a qualified low-income PSE customer can receive bill credits totaling up to $1,000 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and $1,000 from PSE’s Home Energy Lifeline Program, or HELP. Each program’s average grant amounted to approximately $400 per household.

Hopelink is one of 12 community action agencies serving residents in PSE’s 11-county Washington state service area. More than 59,000 qualified low-income PSE customers throughout the utility’s area received grants totaling nearly $25 million—$13.5 million in LIHEAP and $11.3 million in HELP. For more information about PSE’s bill-payment assistance programs, please visit PSE.com.