Assistance Programs

The OPPD Energy Assistance Program (EAP) provides utility bill assistance to help cover the emergency energy needs of households located within the 13-county OPPD service territory.

EAP assistance funds are distributed to eligible customers through a network of over 30 Community Base Organizations located across OPPD service territory. Applicants receive assistance based on eligibility criteria and availability of funds, with a maximum of $500 in assistance per year.

Success of the EAP depends on community partnerships, donations from generous employees and customers, and other fundraising efforts, with 100% of the contributions going to assist residential customers in need.

How to Apply:

• Apply through a partner agency.
  Locate an agency on the agency finder website https://www.hardshiptools.org/AgencyFinder.aspx or call the 24 hour Agency Finder hotline, 1-888-650-9132 (Automated system based on zip code provided).
• Apply online.
  Visit: https://www.dollarenergy.org/MyApp [dollarenergy.org]
• Apply by phone.
  Call 2-1-1, to apply for funding over the phone through United Way.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant must an OPPD customer
• Household’s gross income must be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines
• Eligible customers are those who are experiencing an acute financial crisis due to a verifiable emergency (illness, death, lay-off, loss of income, etc.)

Required Documentation:

• Photo ID (i.e. state issued ID card, state issued driver's license, passport, etc.)
• Demonstration of financial crisis due to verifiable emergency
• Income verification for the last 30 days
• Copy of OPPD bill

The CARES Act Utility Assistance Program is a utility bill assistance program that is available to our customers who have been directly impacted by COVID-19. This funding is made available by an agreement with the State of Nebraska and Dollar Energy Fund. Dollar Energy Fund will administer the funding and manage the application process, similar to our OPPD Energy Assistance Program (EAP) funding.

How to Apply:

• Apply online.
  Visit: https://www.dollarenergy.org/MyApp [dollarenergy.org] 
• Apply through a partner agency. 
  Locate an agency on the agency finder website https://www.hardshiptools.org/AgencyFinder.aspx or call the 24 hour Agency Finder hotline, 1-888-650-9132 (Automated system based on zip code provided)
• Apply by phone. 
  Call 2-1-1, to apply for funding over the phone through United Way.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Income was negatively impacted due to COVID-19
• Inability to pay utilities due to COVID-19
• Applicant must an OPPD customer
• Must be a US citizen

Required Documentation:

• Photo ID (i.e. state issued ID card, state issued driver's license, passport, etc.)
• Demonstration of financial hardship (i.e. Form of income documentation prior to job loss or reduction between specific dates and after reduction income date, an unemployment document, furlough letter, or letter from employer showing reduction of hours/wages due to COVID-19.)
• Copy of OPPD bill (stating amount outstanding or notice of service cutoff)

LIHEAP is a federal program that makes financial assistance available to low-income households with immediate energy needs. This program helps families afford the electricity needed to stay warm during the winter, cool in summer and keep the lights on year round.

How to apply for LIHEAP

Go online to ACCESSNebraska at dhhs-access-neb-menu.ne.gov/start or call 402-595-1258 or 1-800-383-4278.

Smart Steps to Saving Energy is a multiphase program that provides you with information about managing electricity usage in your home with the goal of saving energy and money on utility bills.

The Income-Qualified Home Energy Efficiency Program is part of the Smart Steps program. It helps qualified households to become more energy efficient in order to reduce monthly energy use and costs. Anyone interested in this program will need to get qualified through with one of the partner agencies listed below.

Program Details

Eligible households will receive the following:

• A home energy efficiency kit containing various helpful items
• An in-home energy assessment in order to identify opportunities for additional energy efficiency upgrades within the home
• The ability to qualify for up to $1000 in additional improvements by an OPPD contractor, based on the energy assessment

Eligibility Requirements

In order to qualify for the Income-Qualified Home Energy Efficiency Program, these guidelines must be met:

• Applicant must have a total household income of less than 200% of the federal poverty level
• Applicant must own a home in the OPPD service territory

How to Apply

The application process will be handled through partnering agencies throughout the service territory. A list of partnering agencies can be found below:

United Way of the Midlands - 
Service Area:  All Counties
2201 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE 68102
Call - 211

Credit Advisors Foundation –
Service Area: Omaha Metro
1818 S 72nd St, Omaha, NE 68124
(402) 393-3100

Douglas County Housing Authority –
Service Area: Omaha Metro
5404 N 107th Plaza, Omaha, NE 68134
(402) 444-6203

Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership (ENCAP) –
Service Area: Omaha Metro
2406 Fowler Ave, Omaha, NE 68111
(402) 453-5656

Family Housing Advisory Services –
Service Area: Omaha Metro
2401 Lake St, Omaha, NE 68111
(402) 934-7921

Habitat for Humanity of Omaha (HFHO) –
Service Area: Omaha Metro
1701 N 24th St, Omaha, NE 68110
(402) 457-5657

Project Houseworks –
Service Area: Elderly Homeowners in the Omaha Metro
2316 S 24th St, Omaha, NE 68108
(402) 965-9201

Christian Outreach Program Elkhorn (COPE) –
Service Area: Elkhorn, Valley, Bennington, Waterloo, and Saunders County
333 S 204th St, Elkhorn, NE 68022
(402) 616-2330

Community Action Partnership of Lancaster & Saunders County (CAPLSC) -
Service Area: Saunders County
210 “O” Street, Lincoln, NE 68508
(402) 471-4515

Northeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership (NENCAP) –
Service Area: Burt, Washington, Dodge, and Colfax
603 Earl St, Pender, NE 68047
(402) 385-6300

Southeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership (SENCAP) –
Service Area: Sarpy, Cass, Otoe, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, and Richardson Counties
802 Fourth Street, Humboldt, NE 68376
(402) 862-2411

Contact Information

If you have any questions about the Smart Steps for Energy Efficiency Program, please email smartsteps@oppd.com or call 531-226-3515

Spanish Translation

You may not realize that 30% of the average OPPD residential bill is fixed, meaning it doesn’t change with the amount of energy you use. You also may not know that for OPPD, 70% of costs are spent on infrastructure, equipment and other expenses that aren’t affected by the amount of energy being consumed.

After a series of rate increases since January 2016, the service charge for residential and small commercial customers is $30 and $33, respectively. There are no plans to increase these amounts at this time. OPPD’s service charge more accurately reflects customer and distribution costs – expenses incurred, no matter how much energy is used. See the Rate Restructuring FAQs for more information.

At OPPD, we understand this restructure will impact some low-use, low-income customers. To help with this transition, OPPD will offer credits to qualifying customers.

* Bill Credit Program will end Dec. 31, 2021.

Credits will be available to customers who are qualified by the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and whose energy use is less than 600 kWh in a month.

If you are already LIHEAP-qualified, there is nothing more to do. Each full month your energy use falls below 600 kWh, you will automatically see a credit on your OPPD bill.

If you have not applied for LIHEAP, call 402-595-1258, outside Omaha 800-383-4278, or apply at Access Nebraska.

To find the application on Access Nebraska website:

• Choose English or Spanish
• Find Printable Forms under Other Useful Links
• Choose the Application for Benefits form (EA-117)
• Once qualified (usually within 30 days), LIHEAP will notify OPPD and you will receive a credit each month your energy use falls below 600 kWh.

Get the convenience of knowing exactly how much your monthly electricity bill will be regardless of the weather by using the Level Payment Plan. You can enroll in this program if you are a customer with an OPPD account that is current and up-to-date with payments.

Program Details

Here’s how the OPPD Level Payment Plan works:

• OPPD projects your monthly energy use based on the last 12 months of usage at the service location you occupy.
• Using this projected usage, your monthly level payment is calculated (including tax). Example: If you spent $840 for electric service over the last 12 months, OPPD would calculate your level payment by dividing $840 by 12 to get $70. Your monthly level payment would be $70.
• Generally, your monthly level payment will be set for 120 days. After this period, your monthly level payment amount will be re-evaluated and adjusted accordingly.
• You will automatically be retained in the Level Payment Plan unless you notify OPPD otherwise.

How to sign up for the Level Payment Program

If you are interested in this program, please call 402-536-4131 or toll-free 1-877-536-4131.