(Revised 10/1/19 ML #3557)
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Recipients who heat with electricity may or may not have their heating consumption sub-metered. To ensure that all eligible LIHEAP households retain responsibility for their electric "non-heating" costs, LIHEAP will have electric vendors submit the entire metered residential usage to the State computer, even if the heating is sub-metered. For households with electric heat, the LIHEAP system calculates a LIHEAP share percentage (LS%) that is 75% of what it would be for any other fuel. This is to adjust for the non-heating portions (lights, TV, etc.) of each electric bill that is submitted. By using this adjusted LS%, LIHEAP is paying benefits based upon a presumed heating cost that is 75% of the entire metered residential bill.
LIHEAP households who heat with electricity may also have installed devices such as demand control, off-peak, duel heating systems or sub-metering which offer reduced electric heating rates. When a household has off-peak electric heat, the electric vendor requires the household to have a whole-home back-up (supplemental) heating system therefore, electricity is to be considered the primary heat source in this situation.
