La tarifa estatal para financiar la asistencia energética comienza en septiembre
Traverse City Light & Power (TCLP) along with other electric utilities in Michigan will now fund the Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund (LIEAF), expanding eligibility and funding under the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP), for its customers as required by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC).
The MPSC sets the LIEAF rate for all utilities annually. The monthly surcharge will be $1.25 per meter for the 2025-26 heating season, effective on your September billing statement. Funds collected will be distributed to local assistance agencies to provide income eligible members support with electric bills.
This monthly surcharge is assessed for each retail billing meter (but not charged on more than one residential meter per residential site). The monthly charge will be consistent across all member classes and appear as a separate line item on each electric bill. All LIEAF funds collected by Traverse City Light & Power are distributed to designated state agencies processing applications and distributing funds to qualified applicants.
The MPSC, along with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), will ensure that all money collected for LIEAF from a geographic area is returned to the respective areas to the extent possible. The goal of LIEAF is to promote:
- Statewide access to the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) for eligible low-income members.
- Collaboration between DHHS, MPSC, energy providers and assistance program administrators to ensure that, to the extent possible, eligible low-income members in a geographic area receive funds proportional to what members in that geographic area are being assessed.
- Education and outreach on the availability of assistance programs and funding.
Traverse City Light & Power customers who meet the eligibility requirements set by the state of Michigan and its low-income programs and partner agencies may apply for financial assistance directly with those agencies to help pay their electric bill. Assistance program information and low-income guidelines will be announced and posted on TCLP’s website at https://www.tclp.org/residential-assistance/ in September.
LIEAF was originally launched in 2013 as an optional state program. A 2024 amendment (Public Act 169) now requires all electric utilities to assess a non-bypassable surcharge to customers to fund the low-income program. Utilities have two options:
- Opt in to the program
- Opt out and instead establish and fund their own energy assistance program for residential customers that aligns with the MEAP requirements.
Historically, TCLP opted out of LIEAF due to concerns that the funds collected through the program might be directed to areas outside of our community.
For the 2025-2026 program year, however, the TCLP Board voted to opt in to the LIEAF for one year. The trial period will allow the utility to evaluate the program’s impact and determine the best path forward in future years.