CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — A program which aims to help Champaign County households keep the power on in the summer opens to applicants in a week.

In a news release sent from the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission, officials said the Summer Cooling program was created because of the demand for utility assistance and exhausted funding from post-pandemic programs like Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

The Summer Cooling program will support low-income households in the county that are at the greatest risk from extreme heat. It’ll help an estimated 200 to 350 households maintain power in their homes.

Interested applicants can apply starting June 9. Appointments will be available on a walk-in, first-come, first-served basis from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesdays, appointments are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Appointments are available at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana, at 2009 Round Barn Road in Champaign and at the Rantoul Business Center.

To be eligible for the program, officials said:

• Applicants must be Champaign County residents
• The household’s most recent 30-day income must be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
• The household must include a senior (age 60 and above) or an individual with a medical certificate documenting a condition that requires active power in the household
• The household’s power service is disconnected or in imminent disconnect status.

The Regional Planning Commission said applications for LIHEAP will open Oct. 1 for households with anyone over 60, with a person who has a documented disability, families with children under age 6 and disconnected/disconnect notice household. All other households can apply Nov. 1.

Officials encourage those not eligible for the cooling program to contact their utility company and ask about other available programs.

The Summer Cooling program is funded by the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). The amount of bill assistance per household will not exceed $1,000, according to officials.