Utilities Assistance

Electric and Gas Assistance

The gas and electric program help families with due, past due, or disconnected utility services once per contract year on either their electric, gas, or wood/propane/oil bill. This is done by pledging an eligible amount towards their utility bill, followed by check paid directly to their utility company.

This program assists once every year and is available to residents of Kings County. Funding is limited, and program restrictions apply.

Utilities assistance is funded by the California Department of Community Services and Development

CSD Logo

KCAO has now received a portion of the 2025 utility funds.  For the month of December, we will be assisting families that are completely disconnected or have received a disconnection notice.  The utility appointment calendar will open up on January 6, 2025.

Eligibility

  • Be a permanent and legal United States resident.

  • Be a resident of the State of California.

  • Reside in Kings County

  • Meet income guidelines.

  • Be responsible for energy bills and costs.

Required Documents

  • Please come prepared with paper copies of all your documents.

    • You can e-mail electronic versions (PDF format only, No Screenshots) of your documents 24 hours in advance at utilities@kcao.org. Please include your full name and contact information in the subject line.

    • If all required documents are not presented during the appointment time or submitted electronically 24 hours in advance, you might not be seen, and you will have to reschedule.

  • Valid picture identification

  • Social Security Card

  • Income for all household members for the last 30 days

    • If you are:

    • A CalWORKs or CalFresh recipient, provide current Passport to Services from Kings County Human Services Agency.

    • Collecting SSA or SSI benefits, provide a current Award Letter/Verification of Benefits Form or a current Bank Statement.

    • Receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits, submit a current Award Letter or current pay stubs.

    • Receiving a Pension or Retirement payments, provide a current Award Letter or current Pay Stubs.

    • Receiving Child Support, provide evidence of payments received.

    • Self Employed, please provide the current year’s signed and dated 1040 Tax Forma and 1040, Schedule 1. Schedule C (for self-employment) or Schedule E (for rental income) must be submitted along with current 1040.

      If the current year’s tax form is unavailable, please provide the following:

      • A copy of the ledger or journal, Or

      • A signed self-employment statement showing gross receipts, gross expenses, and net income.

        (Proof must cover a one-month time period and be current within 6 weeks of the application intake date).

    • Both current electric and gas bills are needed to determine eligibility (the bills must have at least a 22-day billing cycle, and you must include all pages).

Income Guidelines

Persons In Household Monthly Income Limit
1 $2,700.17
2 $3,531.00
3 $4,361.83
4 $5,192.75
5 $6,023.59
6 $6,854.43
7 $7,010.21
8 $7,166.00
9 $7,321.78
10* $7,477.56

*For families/households with more than 10 persons, add $155.78 for each additional person.

Application Process

Appointments will be available on the following days listed below and will open between 8:00 am and 9:00 am.

Appointment Dates Available

Due to the delay in the 2025 LIHEAP funds, we are unable to process utility applications for the 2025 Contract. Once funding arrives, we will update this notice and open up appointments. Thank you for your understanding.

  • More dates to be determined.

If your utilities have already been shut off

If your utilities (electric, gas, and propane) have been shut off, please call (559) 415-7215 to speak with staff about your situation.

Step 1

Schedule an appointment in the scheduling widget. Appointments open first business day of the month. Appointments fill up within 24 hours and are for three months out.

Step 2

  • Make sure you have all required documents

  • Check your email and text for notifications from KCAO

  • If you didn’t receive a notification, please call (559) 582-4386

Step 3

Attend your appointment and bring all required documents to the KCAO main office.

Lower your utility bill with Power Saver Rewards

Do you live outside of Kings County?

For residents outside of Kings County, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps keep families safe and healthy through initiatives that assist families with energy costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I not seeing any appointments?
Appointments are usually available on the first business day of the month at 8:00 am. If you don't see an appointment, it's because all appointments have been scheduled. They usually fill up within 15 minutes. Unfortunately, the demand for this service is very high, with around 5,000 households per year requesting utility assistance while KCAO can only serve 1,300.

I have a 48-hour shut-off notice, can I have a walk-in appointment?
Walk-in appointments are not available for households with 48-hour notices. Walk-ins are only available for people who already have their utilities shut off.