Burlington Electric Department Announces Expansion of Energy Assistance Program

Burlington, VT – Burlington Electric Department (BED) today announced that the Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC) has approved its request to expand its Energy Assistance Program (EAP) to allow for enrollment of BED customers that are non-profit housing organizations that provide affordable housing or temporary shelter housing to individuals who meet the EAP income eligibility threshold at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. The program requires that the housing entities receiving 12.5 percent electric bill discounts will pass along the benefits to their residents. Further, income-eligible net metering customers now may enroll in the EAP due to resolution of a billing system challenge.

“I appreciate Burlington Electric Department advancing this important affordability initiative to make the 12.5 percent electric bill discount available to our residential shelters serving the unhoused community, as well as to certain affordable housing providers that pay the electric bill for their residents,” stated Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. “This expansion builds on prior equity work that BED has undertaken in developing the Energy Assistance Program, including last year when we approximately tripled program participation through auto-enrollment of eligible Burlington residents and established a partnership between BED and the Water Resources Department to ensure coordination between the two municipal utility assistance programs.”

“BED is pleased to provide access to our Energy Assistance Program for residential shelters and qualifying affordable housing providers, increasing the number of Burlington residents who will be able to benefit from our bill discount for income-qualified customers,” stated Darren Springer, BED General Manager. “We thank the Mayor, our Electric Commission, City Council, Department of Public Service, and Public Utility Commission for approving this expansion of our Energy Assistance Program, and we have opened enrollment for residential shelters and qualifying affordable housing providers immediately, effective today.”

“CVOEO has enjoyed a years-long partnership with Burlington Electric Department to help as many Burlingtonians as possible bridge the gap during challenging times by helping them pay their electric bills,” stated Travis Poulin, CVOEO Community Action Network Director. “BED’s innovative expansion of its Energy Assistance Program to cover shelter and housing providers aligns with our goal to address issues of economic justice and will help even more members of our community who are most in need.”

BED first implemented the electric bill discount EAP in connection with its first rate increase in 12 years in 2021, thereafter establishing the program as an 18-month pilot and then a permanent program with PUC approval. BED nearly tripled EAP enrollment in August 2024 by adding 482 customers to the program through a then-new auto-enrollment provision.

Any eligible BED customer not seeing a 12.5 percent EAP discount on their electric bill who is interested in determining whether they qualify should please visit burlingtonelectric.com/help or call the BED Customer Care team at 802.865.7300.

*PUC Order dated December 16, 2025 approving revisions to Energy Assistance Program.