What is the fastest way to get utility assistance in El Paso, TX?
Call Project BRAVO at (915) 562-4100 — it’s El Paso County’s official CEAP (Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program) administrator and can pay up to $1,800 toward your electric or gas bill, plus up to $1,800 more for a disconnection emergency. For your water bill, apply to El Paso Water’s AguaCares program (up to $250 credit) at (915) 594-5500. Veterans and veteran households can also reach Amistad’s Veterans Project at (915) 298-7307 for rent and utility help. For broader referrals, dial 2-1-1.
Utility Costs in El Paso: Desert Heat and a Single Electric Provider
El Paso sits at the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert, where summer highs routinely climb past 100°F and running an air conditioner for months at a stretch isn’t optional. El Paso Electric (EPE) is the only retail electric provider in the area — unlike deregulated pockets of Texas such as Dallas or Fort Worth, where households pick from competing retail electric providers, El Paso has no “choose your own provider” market. EPE bills, credits, and disconnects every account directly, which means every assistance program in this guide routes through EPE itself, not a third-party retailer.
El Paso County’s federally funded utility assistance runs through a single Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) administrator, Project BRAVO, rather than through multiple competing agencies. A second well-known nonprofit, Amistad, also helps with utility bills locally — but only for veterans and their families, through a separate Texas Veterans Commission-funded program, not as a general CEAP fallback. Knowing which agency actually serves your household, and pairing that with El Paso Electric’s own Low-Income Rider and El Paso Water’s AguaCares credit, is the key to covering every utility account rather than just one.
El Paso Utility Assistance Programs at a Glance
CEAP via Project BRAVO
El Paso County’s official TDHCA CEAP subrecipient. Phone: (915) 562-4100. Paper applications only, submitted in person at one of four physical centers. Processing typically takes 4-6 weeks. Covers electric and gas bills.
El Paso Electric (EPE) — Low-Income Rider (LIR)
Waives EPE’s $13.71 monthly customer charge ($164.52/year) for customers with a Lone Star Card or household income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. Contact: (915) 543-5970.
El Paso Water — AguaCares
Credit of up to $250 toward a past-due water bill for customers facing disconnection, once per household per 12 months. Phone: (915) 594-5500. Apply at epwater.org.
Amistad for Veterans Project / El Paso County General Assistance
Amistad (915-298-7307) helps veteran households with rent, utility, and internet bills. El Paso County General Assistance (915-546-8150) offers emergency utility aid to any county resident in crisis, walk-in Monday-Thursday.
CEAP in El Paso: Project BRAVO
The Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) is Texas’s federally funded (LIHEAP) utility assistance program, and Project BRAVO is El Paso County’s sole TDHCA-designated CEAP subrecipient — confirmed on TDHCA’s own provider directory. Unlike some larger Texas counties that split CEAP intake across multiple community action agencies, El Paso funnels all general-population CEAP applications through Project BRAVO.
What CEAP Covers
- Utility assistance: Up to $1,800 per household per program year (electric and/or gas)
- Crisis assistance: Up to $1,800 for emergency situations (imminent disconnection or health risk)
- Heating/cooling equipment: Up to $9,000 for HVAC repair or replacement
- Maximum total: Up to $12,600 per household per program year
Eligibility (2026)
Household gross income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG). For 2026 (effective January 26, 2026): 1-person: $23,940 / 2-person: $32,460 / 4-person: $49,500. Federal LIHEAP rules direct outreach priority toward elderly and disabled residents and households with children age 5 or younger.
How to Apply
Project BRAVO’s CEAP application is paper-only, submitted in person — there is no online application. Visit one of four centers: Central (2000 Texas Ave), Northeast/Westside (4838 Montana), Eastside (14901 Whitetail Deer Dr), or Ysleta (8908 Old County Rd). Call (915) 562-4100 or check projectbravo.org before visiting, since intake windows open periodically and pause once a period’s capacity fills. Processing typically takes 4-6 weeks (add 2-4 weeks if your application is incomplete) — Project BRAVO asks applicants not to call about status before that window has passed. Have ready: current utility bills, proof of income for all adults for the prior 30 days, government-issued ID, and Social Security cards for all household members.
El Paso Electric Programs for Low-Income Customers
El Paso Electric (EPE) is both the transmission utility and the sole retail provider for the El Paso area, so there is no competing-provider complexity here — every credit or discount below applies directly to your EPE account.
Low-Income Rider (LIR)
The Low-Income Rider waives EPE’s monthly $13.71 Customer Charge for qualifying residential customers — a savings of $164.52 a year. To qualify, you must have an EPE account in your name and either hold a Lone Star Card (Texas SNAP/EBT card) or have annual household income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level (2026: roughly $19,950 for one person, $27,050 for two, $41,250 for four). Lone Star Card holders mail a copy of their Food Stamp Eligibility Form with their name and EPE account number to El Paso Electric, Attn: Customer Services, LIR, Loc. 143, P.O. Box 982, El Paso, TX 79960. If you qualify by income instead, visit one of the listed partner agencies — El Paso County General Assistance, Project BRAVO, El Paso Business Strong, or Amistad — to have a representative verify your income, then give EPE your account number and name.
Payment Arrangements and Budget Billing
EPE customer service, (915) 543-5970, can review your account for a payment arrangement — typically a due-date extension of up to 14 days, with terms set case by case. Accounts already enrolled in Budget Billing (which spreads your estimated annual usage into 12 equal monthly payments, smoothing out summer AC spikes) may not qualify for a separate payment arrangement; Budget Billing itself requires at least 12 months of good payment history before you can enroll.
Additional El Paso Utility Assistance Resources
El Paso Water — AguaCares and AguaRepairs
AguaCares credits up to $250 toward a past-due water bill, once per household every 12 months, for El Paso Water customers at risk of disconnection who already have or agree to enter a payment arrangement. Only one application per household is accepted. Apply through the online form at epwater.org or call (915) 594-5500; application windows open and close based on available funding, so confirm current status before applying. Separately, AguaRepairs (administered by the nonprofit Rebuilding Together El Paso, not El Paso Water directly) provides free or low-cost leak and plumbing repairs for income-qualified homeowners, plus a Water Leak Adjustment credit for water lost to a qualifying leak — call 915-832-7010.
Amistad for Veterans Project (Veterans and Veteran Households Only)
Amistad, a longtime El Paso nonprofit, runs the Amistad for Veterans Project (AFVP) — General Assistance, funded by a Texas Veterans Commission grant. It covers rent, mortgage, rental deposits, utility bills, and internet bills for veterans and their families — not the general public, and not through the CEAP program. Call (915) 298-7307 (Option 1, then Option 1, then your zip code) to apply.
El Paso County General Assistance
El Paso County General Assistance provides emergency utility, rent/mortgage, and food-voucher assistance for county residents facing a financial crisis. It’s funded through county general funds rather than federal LIHEAP dollars, so it runs independently of Project BRAVO’s CEAP funding cycle. Located at 6314 Delta, El Paso, TX 79905; call (915) 546-8150. Intake is walk-in, first-come-first-served, with limited slots Monday through Thursday.
Salvation Army of El Paso
The Salvation Army of El Paso (4300 E Paisano Dr) may provide rental, mortgage, and/or utility assistance depending on household need and current grant availability. Call (915) 544-9811 or dial 2-1-1 to confirm current fund status before visiting.
2-1-1 Texas — Bilingual Referral Service
Dial 2-1-1 or call (877) 541-7905 (Spanish-language service available) for free 24/7 referrals to El Paso-area agencies with current utility assistance funds. 211 is an essential bridge when Project BRAVO’s CEAP intake window is paused between cycles.
El Paso Utility Assistance Programs Compared
| Program | Who Qualifies | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| CEAP via Project BRAVO | El Paso County residents at or below 150% FPIG; paper application, in person only | Up to $1,800 utility + $1,800 crisis + $9,000 equipment ($12,600 max) |
| EPE Low-Income Rider (LIR) | EPE customers with Lone Star Card or income at or below 125% FPL | $13.71/mo customer charge waived ($164.52/yr) |
| AguaCares (water) | El Paso Water customers at disconnection risk with a payment arrangement | Up to $250 credit; once per household per 12 months |
| Amistad for Veterans Project | Veterans and veteran households only | Rent/mortgage/utility/internet aid; no fixed amount |
| El Paso County General Assistance | El Paso County residents in a utility emergency | Emergency utility payment; county-funded; call (915) 546-8150 |
Editorial Team Tip: Don’t confuse Amistad with a second CEAP office — its utility-bill help is reserved for veterans and their families through a Texas Veterans Commission grant, so if you’re not a veteran, Project BRAVO at (915) 562-4100 is your only CEAP path in El Paso County. While that paper application processes (4-6 weeks, in person only, no online option), knock out two quick wins in parallel: if you have a Lone Star Card, mail EPE the Low-Income Rider paperwork for an automatic $164.52/year savings, and apply to El Paso Water’s AguaCares program separately for up to $250 toward your water bill — it’s a different agency with its own funding window, so applying to CEAP does not cover your water account.
Need help figuring out which El Paso agency actually covers your situation?
How to Apply: Step-by-Step for El Paso Residents
Step 1: Confirm Your Income Fits CEAP’s 150% FPIG Limit
For 2026, that’s roughly $23,940 for a 1-person household, $32,460 for 2 people, and $49,500 for 4 people (150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, effective January 26, 2026). If you’re within these limits, CEAP through Project BRAVO is your primary path for electric and gas help.
Step 2: Gather Your Documents
Current utility bills, proof of income for all adults for the prior 30 days, government-issued ID, and Social Security cards for all household members. Project BRAVO requires all supporting documents to be dated within 30 days of submission.
Step 3: Apply to Project BRAVO In Person
Bring your documents to one of the four Project BRAVO centers — Central (2000 Texas Ave), Northeast/Westside (4838 Montana), Eastside (14901 Whitetail Deer Dr), or Ysleta (8908 Old County Rd). Call (915) 562-4100 first to confirm the current intake window is open. There is no online CEAP application in El Paso.
Step 4: Apply to EPE and El Paso Water in Parallel
While CEAP processes, apply for the EPE Low-Income Rider (mail-in for Lone Star Card holders, or agency income verification) and El Paso Water’s AguaCares program (up to $250 credit, apply at epwater.org or call 915-594-5500) at the same time — they’re separate agencies with separate funding, and neither waits on the other.
Step 5: Use Emergency Backups If You’re Facing Disconnection
If you have an imminent disconnection notice and CEAP hasn’t processed yet, call El Paso County General Assistance at (915) 546-8150 or the Salvation Army of El Paso at (915) 544-9811. Veterans and veteran households should also call Amistad’s Veterans Project at (915) 298-7307. Dial 2-1-1 any time for a live referral to other currently funded agencies.
Beyond Bill Payment: Weatherization in El Paso
Texas’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) provides free energy-efficiency upgrades to income-qualified El Paso homeowners and renters — particularly valuable in a desert climate where cooling costs dominate the bill. Project BRAVO handles weatherization intake alongside its CEAP applications; ask about current weatherization waitlists when you call (915) 562-4100. In the meantime, setting your thermostat a few degrees higher when you’re away, sealing gaps around windows and doors, and using ceiling fans to extend your AC’s reach can meaningfully reduce your summer electric bill.
El Paso Utility Assistance FAQ
Is Amistad a second CEAP administrator in El Paso, like Project BRAVO?
No. Project BRAVO is El Paso County’s only TDHCA-designated CEAP subrecipient. Amistad’s utility-bill help — the Amistad for Veterans Project — is funded separately by a Texas Veterans Commission grant and serves veterans and their families only. If you’re not a veteran, Project BRAVO at (915) 562-4100 is your CEAP option; if you are a veteran, call Amistad at (915) 298-7307 for rent, utility, and internet bill assistance.
Can I apply for CEAP online, or do I have to go in person?
Project BRAVO’s CEAP application is paper-only and must be submitted in person at one of its four El Paso centers — there is no online application. Call (915) 562-4100 or check projectbravo.org before visiting, since intake windows open periodically throughout the year and pause once a period’s capacity fills. Processing typically takes 4-6 weeks.
Does CEAP cover my water bill too?
No, CEAP only covers electric and gas accounts. For your water bill, apply separately to El Paso Water’s AguaCares program, which credits up to $250 toward a past-due balance once every 12 months for customers facing disconnection who have or agree to a payment arrangement. Apply at epwater.org or call (915) 594-5500.
How does the EPE Low-Income Rider actually save me money?
The Low-Income Rider waives El Paso Electric’s $13.71 monthly customer charge for qualifying households — a savings of $164.52 a year, applied automatically to every bill going forward once you’re approved. You qualify with a Lone Star Card (mail your Food Stamp Eligibility Form to EPE) or with household income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level, verified through a partner agency like Project BRAVO or El Paso County General Assistance.
What if I’ve heard of “Texas Utility Help” for water bills — is that still active?
No. Texas Utility Help (texasutilityhelp.com) stopped accepting energy applications in September 2023 and water applications in November 2023 after its federal funding ran out; the program is defunct statewide. For water-bill help in El Paso today, use El Paso Water’s AguaCares program instead.
Do I need to speak English to apply? Are there Spanish-language services?
No. Project BRAVO, El Paso County General Assistance, and 211 Texas (dial 2-1-1) all serve El Paso’s predominantly Spanish-speaking community with Spanish-language intake and referral services.
Ready to Get Utility Help in El Paso?
- ? Project BRAVO is El Paso County’s official CEAP administrator — (915) 562-4100
- ? CEAP can pay up to $1,800 on your electric or gas bill, plus $1,800 for a crisis
- ? EPE Low-Income Rider saves $164.52/year automatically for qualifying households
- ? El Paso Water’s AguaCares covers your water bill separately — apply to both
- ? Spanish-language services available at every El Paso assistance agency