$3.6M in Federal Funds to Help Lower Energy Costs for Working Families

New weatherization assistance funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will be coming to Hawai‘i to help low-income households with their energy costs.

According to a press release from U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Hawai‘i Democrat, the state will receive more than $3.6 million in federal funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides grants for households with low incomes to save money by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes.

“With the highest energy costs of any state in the country, it has always been a real financial burden for families with low incomes in Hawai‘i to keep their homes comfortable and safe,” said Hirono in the press release. “Given our reliance on oil for power, these costs are only continuing to rise, making it that much harder for families to pay their utility bills.”

Weatherization Assistance Program funds can be used for a variety of measures, including:

• Installing insulation.
• Cleaning, repairing or replacing heating and cooling systems.
• Installing energy-efficient light sources.
• Replacing inefficient appliances with energy-efficient models.
• Repairing and replacing windows and doors.
• Installing proper ventilation to ensure adequate indoor air quality.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, households receiving support from the weatherization program save an average of $283 in annual energy costs. The press release said that even before the spike in oil prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Hawai‘i had the highest electricity costs of any state in the country at 27.5 cents per kilowatt hour, nearly three times the national average of 10.59 cents.

In Hawai‘i, weatherization services are administered at the county level and overseen by the Hawai‘i Office of Community Services. Those interested in learning more about the program and how to apply can click here.