Providence Utility Bill Help 2026–27: Rhode Island Energy Discounts, Winter Protection and Providence Water
If you live in Providence and you are behind on your gas, electric or water bill, there is real help this winter, but it runs through a few specific doors. Rhode Island Energy (which took over from National Grid as the state's gas and electric company) offers a 25% or 30% discount rate, a Forgiveness Program that can wipe out up to $1,500 of past-due balance a year, and winter shutoff protection from November 1 through May 1 for protected customers. The key that unlocks most of it is LIHEAP, and the 2026–27 LIHEAP season is open now through Providence Community Action Partnership (PVD CAP).
Water is different. Providence Water is a separate, city-owned utility, and the state's winter moratorium rules for gas and electric do not work the same way for water. This guide walks through both, step by step. It is general information, not legal or financial advice. Your bill, your notices and the utility's own terms control your account.
Step 1: Apply for LIHEAP Through PVD CAP (Open Now)
The Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) runs LIHEAP, but applications are taken by local Community Action Program agencies. The Federal Fiscal Year 2027 application period opened on October 1, 2026, and DHS encourages households to apply as early as possible. PVD CAP says applications are open through April 15, 2027.
LIHEAP has two parts:
Heating Assistance: a grant toward heating costs, usually paid to your utility or heating fuel vendor and in a few cases directly to you.
Crisis Assistance: a grant to resolve a heating emergency, such as a heat shutoff for not paying a regulated energy bill, being unable to pay for deliverable fuel, or a heating system that has failed and cannot be repaired.
Where Providence residents apply: PVD CAP, 518 Hartford Avenue, Providence, RI 02909, (401) 273-2000. PVD CAP lists LIHEAP hours of Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., with late hours until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the LIHEAP season. Call before you go, since hours can change.
New applicants can apply online through the PVD CAP client portal, or submit the application by mail or in person. Applications cannot be faxed or emailed. If you live outside Providence, contact the Community Action agency for your city or town; the Economic Progress Institute lists 401-921-4968 as the number to find your local CAP agency.
FY 2027 Income Limits (PVD CAP)
| Household size | Yearly gross income | Monthly gross income | |---|---|---| | 1 | $43,410 | $3,617 | | 2 | $56,767 | $4,730 | | 3 | $70,124 | $5,843 | | 4 | $83,481 | $6,959 | | 5 | $96,837 | $8,069 | | 6 | $110,194 | $9,182 | | 7 | $112,699 | $9,391 | | 8 | $115,203 | $9,600 |
For households larger than eight, PVD CAP asks you to call for current limits.
Documents to Bring
PVD CAP's checklist includes, for the primary applicant: a Social Security card, a valid unexpired government photo ID, your gas or electric bill (or an oil or propane ticket), your lease or mortgage (or tax bill), the signed LIHEAP application, and four consecutive weeks of pay stubs or award letters for benefits such as SNAP, SSI, unemployment, pensions or court-ordered child support. Self-employed applicants need recent federal tax returns. For other household members, bring Social Security cards, IDs for adults over 18, birth certificates for minors, and proof of income. Missing or outdated documents can delay your application.
Step 2: Get on Rhode Island Energy's Discount Rate (A-60)
Rhode Island Energy's low-income electric rate, A-60, discounts your total bill. Under the tariff effective September 1, 2026:
25% off if you are determined eligible for LIHEAP, enrolled in SNAP, or receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
30% off if you are enrolled in Medicaid, Rhode Island Works, or General Public Assistance.
PVD CAP notes the discount applies to gas and electric bills, and that you may need to send a confirmation letter from the assistance program to prove eligibility. To apply, PVD CAP says you can email AccountProtections@RIEnergy.com or fax 1-877-388-9077, or apply through Rhode Island Energy's Discount Rate Program page.
If you get SNAP or Medicaid already, you may not need to wait for LIHEAP approval to get the discount. Send the proof now.
Step 3: Use the Forgiveness Program (AMP) for an Old Balance
Rhode Island Energy's Forgiveness Program, formally the Arrearage Management Program (AMP), is for customers who are buried in past-due charges. To qualify, Rhode Island Energy says you must:
Be on an income-eligible discount rate.
Be approved for LIHEAP.
Have a balance of at least $300 that is more than 60 days past due.
Once enrolled, you pay your balance in installments under a payment plan. If you make your payments on time, part of your past-due amount is forgiven, up to $1,500 per year. If your service is still on, no down payment is required. If your service was already shut off for nonpayment, you will be required to make a down payment.
To enroll, call 1-855-743-1104.
Step 4: Know Your Winter Shutoff Protection (November 1 – May 1)
Rhode Island's utility termination rules (810-RICR-10-00-1) set a moratorium period from 12:01 a.m. November 1 to 11:59 p.m. May 1. During that period, gas and electric companies cannot shut off a protected customer for nonpayment.
According to Rhode Island Energy's 2026 shutoff notice, you can be a protected customer if you provide proof that you are:
Unemployed and receiving unemployment compensation;
Elderly, meaning all adult members of the household are 62 or older;
Receiving LIHEAP;
A household with a child under 24 months that has financial hardship and was not shut off for nonpayment before the child's birth;
Seriously ill, certified by a licensed physician (this gives 21 days of protection, which can be extended through the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers);
Life-support dependent on electrically powered medical equipment, with financial hardship (up to six months of protection with a physician certification); or
Disabled, with a notarized affidavit and a physician's disability form, or proof of SSDI or SSI.
Even if you are not protected, the rules limit winter shutoffs for gas and electric: a company cannot shut off service that is your primary source of heat unless the delinquent balance is over $500, or over $200 if it is not your primary heat source.
Summer heat: The same rules bar any covered utility from shutting off residential service for nonpayment on days when the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory or excessive heat warning for Rhode Island.
Step 5: Payment Plans Before and After a Shutoff
Rhode Island Energy must offer payment plans. The rules give two tracks: one for standard customers and one for protected customers. Highlights from the 2026 notice:
Standard customer, before shutoff: no down payment; you pay 1/12 of your estimated annual cost plus 1/6 of your unpaid balance for the first six months.
Standard customer, after shutoff: a 60% down payment of the unpaid balance, then 1/3 of the remaining balance over three months plus monthly usage. A later step can require up to 100% to restore service.
Protected customer, before shutoff: no down payment; you pay 1/12 of the unpaid balance each month for 12 months plus current usage.
Protected customer, after shutoff: a 25% down payment, then a 12-month plan. Later steps require 25%, 35% or 50% down.
LIHEAP recipients can renegotiate one more time when the LIHEAP grant or promise arrives. Plans can be lost if you do not pay a bill within a "reasonable time," which the rules define as 40 days after the bill is mailed or 10 days after the payment is due, whichever is longer.
Rhode Island Energy customer service: (855) 743-1101. For a gas leak, leave the building and call 911 or 1-800-640-1595.
Step 6: Providence Water Bills
Providence Water serves more than 75,000 direct retail customers in Providence, North Providence, Cranston, Johnston and Smithfield. Here is what is different about water:
The 10-day notice still applies. The state termination rules cover water utilities under the Public Utilities Commission. Service cannot be shut off for nonpayment unless you were sent written notice at least 10 days before the shutoff date. During that notice period, you can pay, try to reach a settlement, enroll in a payment plan, or set up another arrangement the utility agrees to.
Tenants get notice too. If the water account is in your landlord's name, the utility must make a reasonable effort to notify the people living there at least 10 days before a shutoff, such as by posting a notice on the property.
Payment plans are not guaranteed. Under the rules, gas and electric utilities must offer payment plans, but water utilities may choose to, as long as they show the Commission they have a procedure for reasonable payment plans. Call early and ask what Providence Water will offer.
The winter moratorium does not cover water the same way. The November–May protections in the rules are written for gas and electric companies.
Disputes: If you dispute your bill, the utility must investigate and cannot shut you off over the disputed amount while it does. If you cannot settle it, you can appeal to the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers.
Providence Water customer service: (401) 521-5070 or billing@provwater.com for billing questions and payments. Pay by phone at (866) 889-2683. The main number is (401) 521-6300. In-person payments by check or money order (no cash) are taken at 125 Dupont Drive, Providence, RI 02907.
Water assistance funds: The Economic Progress Institute describes the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) as a temporary emergency program that makes a one-time payment directly to the water utility, with funds available through September or until they run out. Ask PVD CAP whether any water assistance is available for the 2026–27 season before you count on it.
Other Heating Help in Rhode Island
Keep the Heat On: The Diocese of Providence's challenge helps people who have used up all other help. Call 401-421-7833 x207. Funds may not always be available.
Good Neighbor Energy Fund: For households in a temporary crisis, including some who do not qualify for LIHEAP. Call 2-1-1 to see if grants are available.
Weatherization: PVD CAP offers weatherization to LIHEAP-approved households.
Providence Utility Bill Checklist
Apply for LIHEAP at PVD CAP now (open through April 15, 2027).
Send proof of SNAP, SSI, Medicaid, RI Works or LIHEAP to Rhode Island Energy for the 25% or 30% A-60 discount.
If you owe $300 or more that is 60+ days old, ask about the Forgiveness Program at 1-855-743-1104.
If you are 62+, unemployed, seriously ill, disabled, have a baby under 2, or get LIHEAP, send proof of protected status before November 1.
If you get a shutoff notice, call within the 10-day notice period and ask for a payment plan.
For water, call Providence Water at (401) 521-5070 as soon as you fall behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is National Grid still my utility in Providence? No. Rhode Island Energy now provides gas and electric service. Use Rhode Island Energy's numbers and programs.
Can my electricity be shut off in December? If you are a protected customer, Rhode Island Energy cannot shut off service for nonpayment between November 1 and May 1. If you are not protected, limits still apply based on the size of your balance and whether the service is your main heat.
Do I have to be on LIHEAP to get the discount? No. SNAP or SSI qualifies for 25%, and Medicaid, RI Works or General Public Assistance qualifies for 30%. LIHEAP is required for the Forgiveness Program.
Can I email my LIHEAP application? No. PVD CAP says applications cannot be faxed or emailed. Apply online through its portal, by mail, or in person.
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