ENERGY ASSISTANCE: Provides eligible households (renters and homeowners) financial assistance with heating and/or electric costs through several programs:

• MEAP (Maryland Energy Assistance Program): Provides annual grants to eligible families, renters, roomers, boarders and homeowners toward the cost of heating in the winter and electricity year-round. Grant is based on the type of fuel used, household size, household income and annual consumption. Account does not have to be in the applicant's name.
• USPP (Utility Service Protection Program): MEAP-eligible customers may participate in the USPP, which is designed to protect low-income families from utility turn-offs during the heating season.
• EUSP (Electrical Universal Service Program): Annual grant which offers year-round assistance with electric costs. Account does not have to be in applicant's name, and Budget Billing is no longer required. Assistance may be available for past due bill payments.
• ARA (Arrearage Retirement Assistance): Applicant must receive EUSP grant to be eligible. Customers must have a past due bill of $300 or greater, up to $2000. Customers may only receive an arrearage grant once every 5 years.
• GARA (Gas Arrearage Retirement Assistance): Applicant must receive MEAP grant to be eligible. Account must be in Applicant's name. Applicant must have past due bill of $300 or greater, up to $1,000.

ELIGIBILITY FOR MEAP and EUSP: US citizens, qualified aliens, and ineligible non-citizens. All children under 18 will count. Undocumented household members will be excluded from household size, but their income will be included in total household income.