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How to Get Help With Your Nevada Utility Bill

Payment plans, energy assistance programs, and savings strategies that can help Nevada households manage utility costs in every season.

AARP

Published August 20, 2026

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Why Your Nevada Utility Bill Changes Through the Year

If your utility bill swings sharply from one season to the next, you are not alone. Nevada households tend to see their highest electricity bills during the hottest months, when air conditioning runs hardest, and many see heating costs climb during the coldest months, particularly in northern Nevada and at higher elevations. Payment options, assistance programs, and energy-saving strategies may help you manage those swings and avoid surprises.

Start by reviewing your bill and your household energy use. Your monthly cost can change based on how much energy you use, current energy rates, and seasonal demand. Understanding those changes can help you decide whether a payment plan, an assistance program, or an efficiency upgrade may be right for your household.

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Manage Monthly Costs with Payment Plans

NV Energy serves most Nevada households, delivering electricity across both northern and southern Nevada and natural gas in the Reno and Sparks area. It offers payment programs that can help eligible customers manage energy expenses more predictably.

Equal Pay: A budgeting tool, not a discount. NV Energy calculates your average annual bill and sets a monthly payment amount. The company reviews the amount after six months and adjusts it as needed, then reconciles the plan after 12 months.
Equal Pay Summer Saver: Available to southern Nevada residential customers, this option uses one payment amount for the summer months of May through August and another for September through April.
FlexPay: A prepaid billing option that lets customers pay in advance for energy use. NV Energy describes FlexPay as a way to avoid late fees, deposits, and growing past-due balances.

Learn more from NV Energy: https://www.nvenergy.com/account-services/payment-and-billing

If a rural electric cooperative or a municipal utility serves your area rather than NV Energy, contact that provider directly. Many offer their own budget billing and payment arrangement options.

Apply for Nevada Energy Assistance

The Nevada Energy Assistance Program, administered by the Nevada Division of Social Services, helps eligible households with home heating and cooling costs. To qualify, a household must live in Nevada, meet citizenship criteria, be responsible for home heating or cooling costs, and meet income limits.

Two details are worth knowing before you apply. The program year runs from July 1 through June 30, and applications are accepted throughout the year or until funding runs out, so applying earlier in the program year improves your odds. And the benefit is a one-time annual credit, usually paid directly to your energy provider and shown as a credit on your bill, rather than ongoing monthly support. The program is not designed for emergencies.

Income limits are set at 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and are updated each program year. For the program year that began July 1, 2026, maximum gross monthly income is $1,995 for a one-person household, $2,705 for a two-person household, and $3,415 for a three-person household. Larger households have higher limits, and a household with a chronic or long-term illness and out-of-pocket medical expenses may be able to reduce its countable income.

Check eligibility and see the full income chart: https://www.dss.nv.gov/programs/energy/eligibility-criteria/

Apply for energy assistance: https://www.dss.nv.gov/programs/energy/apply-for-assistance/

Find Additional Relief and Savings Opportunities

Other programs may help eligible Nevadans reduce utility costs or improve home energy efficiency.

Weatherization Assistance Program: The Nevada Weatherization Assistance Program helps income-qualified households statewide lower utility bills, conserve energy, and improve the health and safety of their homes. Common improvements include air sealing, insulation, LED lighting, solar screens, weather-stripping, and repairs or upgrades to heating and cooling equipment, refrigerators, and water heaters. Learn more at https://housing.nv.gov/programs/Weatherization/
PowerShift by NV Energy: PowerShift offers money-saving tools for NV Energy customers, including smart thermostats, free energy assessments, bundled appointments, pool pump calibrations, air conditioning retrofits, and income-qualified tune-ups. Learn more at https://www.nvenergy.com/save-with-powershift
Project REACH, Southern Nevada only: United Way of Southern Nevada administers Project REACH, which helps qualifying older adults pay past-due utility bills during times of financial hardship. The program provides up to $300 for essential utilities, including electricity, gas, water, and sewer, and qualifying individuals may apply once every 12 months. Learn more at https://uwsn.org/projectreach/

If you live in northern or rural Nevada, call 211 or visit https://www.nevada211.org to find utility assistance available in your county.

Use Less Energy at Home

Small changes can reduce energy use in any season.

Set your thermostat higher when you are away in summer, and lower when you are away in winter.
Use ceiling fans to improve comfort, reversing the direction in winter to push warm air down.
Close blinds during the hottest part of a summer day, and open south-facing coverings on sunny winter days.
Replace heating and cooling filters regularly.
Seal drafts around doors and windows before the coldest and hottest months arrive.
Run major appliances at cooler times of day during summer.

Watch Out for Utility Scams

Periods of extreme heat or cold create openings for scammers. Nevadans may receive calls, text messages, or emails claiming that service will be disconnected immediately unless payment is made at once through gift cards, wire transfers, or payment apps. A real utility does not demand payment that way.

If a message feels urgent or threatening, pause before acting. Contact your utility directly using the phone number on your bill or the provider's official website, and do not share personal or financial information with someone who contacts you unexpectedly. Scams are built to work on anyone, and being targeted is not a reflection on you.

Free help spotting or reporting a scam, AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 1-877-908-3360

More AARP Nevada fraud prevention resources: https://www.aarp.org/states/nevada/fraud-prevention/

Make Your Voice Heard on Utility Issues

Utility rates and consumer programs are reviewed through public regulatory processes. The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada holds consumer sessions where members of the public can comment on utility matters, and state law requires at least one general consumer session each year in Clark County and in Washoe County. The commission also holds case-specific sessions when a utility files to raise rates. Comments can be made in person, by telephone, or in writing, and the record from general consumer sessions is provided to the Legislature.

Find upcoming consumer sessions and learn how to comment: https://puc.nv.gov/Consumers/Be_Heard/Consumer_Sessions/

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