IID expands eligibility for electric bill assistance

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KESQ) – The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors approved increases to the District’s payment assistance programs, enabling more customers to qualify in 2026.

IID officials said for two of the agency’s most utilized assistance programs, eligible customers may now earn well above the federal poverty income thresholds and still qualify for meaningful payment assistance, helping ensure essential electric service remains affordable for households most in need.

“Our assistance programs are so helpful to many families, and our program updates can help even more customers,” said IID Board Chairwoman Karin Eugenio. “We really want to see that everyone who qualifies takes advantage of the assistance the District offers.”

In 2025, IID’s READY and CARE programs reached the highest enrollment of income-qualified customers on record, serving more than 12,670 participants and delivering over $8.3 million in financial assistance through these two programs alone. Building on this success, the District remains focused on expanding outreach and participation in 2026 to ensure support reaches customers who need it most.

Details on the updated assistance programs:

• READY. Income eligibility qualifications (for the Residential Energy Assistance Designed for You program) allow customers to earn up to 200% of the 2026 Federal Poverty Level, plus an additional $10,000. READY provides qualified customers with a 20% monthly discount and a 30% discount for seniors.
• CARE (Customer Assistance for Residential Emergencies): Customers enrolled in the READY program who face disconnection can receive up to $500 in annual assistance, $125 per quarter. This is up from $450 annually in 2025.
• SHIELD. (Senior Health & Income Energy Lifeline Discount):Income guidelines have increased from 200% to 322% of the 2026 Federal Poverty Level. SHIELD offers a 30% monthly discount to qualified seniors who incur medical/ pharmaceutical expenses exceeding 10% of their annual income.
• EASE. The renewal period for IID’s Energy Assistance for Special Equipment (EASE) program increased to three years, rather than every two years. EASE is available to all qualified customers, regardless of income, and lowers monthly electric bills for homes where someone relies on medical equipment that runs on electricity.

READY and SHIELD income-qualifying information based on household size (maximum income limits):