Collin County Utility Bill Assistance: Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) Guide

Opening your electric bill during a Texas summer can knock the wind out of you. Rent's due, groceries cost more than they used to, and now the AC bill is climbing too. If you're worried about falling behind on utilities in Collin County, you're far from the only one.

There's a real program built for exactly this. It's called the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, or CEAP for short, and it's funded through federal energy assistance dollars. It helps eligible households pay electric, gas, and propane bills. This guide covers who actually runs it for Collin County, what the 2026 income limits look like, what to bring, and the one thing almost every first-time applicant gets wrong.

Quick Answer

Question Answer
Who runs CEAP for Collin County? Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG), a regional agency based in Sherman with a drop-off site in Plano.
Is this same-day emergency help? No. TCOG states directly that it does not offer emergency utility assistance. Processing runs on a wait list, around 8 weeks.
What does it cover? A co-payment toward your electric, gas, or propane bill. Not late fees, deposits, or reconnect charges.
How do I apply? Mail or drop-off only. TCOG does not take applications by email, fax, or an online form.

What CEAP Actually Is

The Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program is Texas's version of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP. 

Think of it less like a rebate and more like a co-signer for part of your bill. Money flows from the federal government to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), then out to regional agencies that actually handle applications and payments.

Here's the part people miss: TDHCA doesn't take applications itself. It funds around three dozen regional subrecipients that collectively cover all 254 Texas counties. For Collin County, that agency is the Texoma Council of Governments. 

Payments go straight to your utility company, not to you, so this isn't cash in your pocket. It's a credit applied to your account.

💡 EasySmart Tip for Collin County Residents: A site called Texas Utility Help used to be the main application portal. It stopped taking new applications in 2023. If a search result or old link sends you there, skip it. Go straight to TCOG, or use TDHCA's current "Help for Texans" locator instead.

Who Runs CEAP in Collin County

TCOG's Energy Services department handles utility assistance, weatherization, and a broader family assistance program, all funded through the same federal pipeline. Its Utility Assistance program covers a cluster of North Texas counties, not just Collin.

Detail Information
Administering Agency Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG), Energy Services Department
Counties Served Collin, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Rockwall
Mailing Address 1117 Gallagher Drive, Suite 200, Sherman, TX 75090
Collin County Drop-Off 900 East Park Blvd, Suite 155, Plano, TX 75074 (drop slot beside the office door)
Phone (903) 893-2161 ext. 3541, or toll-free (800) 677-8264
Email (questions only, not applications) energyapp@tcog.com

That Plano drop-off point matters. TCOG's main office sits in Sherman, about an hour north. The drop slot exists so Plano, McKinney, Allen, and Frisco residents don't have to make that drive just to turn in paperwork.

What CEAP Can Help Pay

Type of Bill Covered?
Electric Yes, monthly residential service
Natural Gas Yes
Propane Yes, for qualifying homes
Water or Wastewater No — TCOG's program covers electric, gas, and propane only
Late Fees, Deposits, Reconnect Charges No — you're still responsible for those

The exact amount you get depends on your household size, income, and how much funding TCOG has left that cycle. For households on a fixed income like Social Security, TCOG bases the payment on your billing history from the same month the previous year, up to an allowable limit.

Do You Qualify? 2026 Income Limits

Eligibility starts with income. TCOG generally requires households at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Here are the figures TCOG has posted, effective January 26, 2026.

Household Size 100% of Federal Poverty Guidelines 150% of Federal Poverty Guidelines
1 $15,960 $23,940
2 $21,640 $32,460
3 $27,320 $40,980
4 $33,000 $49,500
5 $38,680 $58,540
6 $44,360 $66,540
7 $50,040 $75,060
8 $55,720 $83,580

For households larger than 8, add $5,680 per person at the 100% level, or $8,520 per person at the 150% level. These numbers update every year, so treat this as a 2026 snapshot, not a permanent chart.

📌 Good to Know: TCOG counts income for every household member 18 and older, not just whoever's applying. Got a roommate or an adult kid on the lease who chips in on bills? Their income counts too, even if their name isn't on the utility account.

Who Meeting Income Requirements Doesn't Guarantee

Falling under the income chart gets you in the door. It doesn't get you approved. TCOG reviews every application individually, based on documentation, current funding, and how many other households applied that cycle. 

Federal LIHEAP guidance generally encourages agencies to give extra attention to households with older adults, young children, or a member with a disability, since losing power can carry a real health risk for those groups. That said, this isn't a guarantee of faster approval at TCOG specifically — everyone still has to clear the same documentation and funding hurdles.

The Part That Trips Up Almost Every First-Time Applicant

This is a detail many Collin County residents get tripped up on. Under the 2026 program rules, CEAP is explicitly not an emergency assistance program. TCOG says this directly on its own site. If your power is getting shut off today, this application will not stop that.

Average processing runs about 8 weeks, and that clock only starts once your file is complete. A lot of applicants send their paperwork in the same week they get a disconnect notice, assuming TCOG can step in right away. It can't. If a shutoff is imminent, call your utility company first and ask for a payment extension. Let CEAP work in the background as the longer-term fix, not the emergency one.

Documents to Gather Before You Apply

Missing paperwork is the number one reason applications stall. TCOG won't start processing until every required document is in.

  • Photo ID for every household member 18 or older (driver's license, Texas ID, military ID, government employee ID, or concealed handgun license)
  • Birth certificate or another accepted proof of citizenship for every household member (a U.S. passport, tribal enrollment card with photo, or naturalization certificate also work)
  • Proof of income for the past 30 days: four check stubs if paid weekly, two if bi-weekly, one if monthly
  • Current-year Social Security, retirement, or VA award letters, if that applies to you
  • TANF printout, child support letter, or unemployment printout showing the past 30 days, if applicable
  • Every page, front and back, of your current electric, gas, or propane bill
⚠️ Important Note: A Social Security card will not substitute for a birth certificate or passport. Last year's award letter won't work either — TCOG requires a current-year letter. Call the Social Security Administration for a fresh one before you apply.

How to Apply, Step by Step

Step 1 — Confirm You're in a Covered County

Collin, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, and Rockwall are all inside TCOG's service area. Outside that list, TCOG can't process your file.

Step 2 — Download the Current Application Packet

TCOG posts a dated packet on its website each year. Use the current one — an outdated form slows everything down.

Step 3 — Fill Out Every Form Completely

That includes the household demographics form, the income declaration, and the citizenship verification page. Blank sections go to the bottom of the pile.

Step 4 — Mail It or Drop It Off

Mail to the Sherman office, or use the Plano drop slot. Email, fax, and online submissions aren't accepted.

Step 5 — Wait to Be Pulled From the List

You'll get notice by mail or email once your file comes up. Calling repeatedly won't move you up faster.

Step 6 — Respond Fast to Any Follow-Up Request

Processing speed depends heavily on how quickly you send back anything TCOG asks for.

A Realistic Example

Say a McKinney household on fixed Social Security income applies in February. TCOG approves a pledge toward their May electric bill. Then, in March, a disconnect notice shows up anyway. They panic, thinking the pledge fell through. It didn't. Utility companies send disconnect notices on their own automatic schedule, regardless of any pledge already on file. 

TCOG has 30 to 45 days after approval to actually cut the check, and that gap is exactly when a routine notice like this tends to land. The fix isn't reapplying — it's calling the utility company, confirming the pledge is noted on the account, and asking them to hold off while the payment processes.

What Happens After You're Approved

Once approved, things move fairly fast behind the scenes. Payment goes straight to your utility provider, not to you, and gets applied as a credit toward your eligible energy charges.

Step What Happens
Application Approved TCOG finishes the eligibility review and sends you a letter
Payment Sent TCOG has up to 30–45 days to send the utility company a check
Account Credited The utility company applies the payment, though it may take a billing cycle or two to show
Remaining Balance If your bill exceeds the approved amount, you still owe the rest

One thing catches people off guard: CEAP doesn't wipe out your whole bill. If your balance is bigger than the approved benefit, the remainder is still yours to pay on the utility company's normal schedule.

Beyond CEAP: Other Collin County Utility Help

TCOG isn't the only door. If the wait-list timeline doesn't fit, or you don't qualify under the income chart above, a few other options are worth a call.

Resource Who It Fits Contact
Assistance Center of Collin County Plano ISD or Wylie ISD households at or below 200% of poverty level, facing a short-term crisis (972) 422-1850 hotline
All Community Outreach (ACO) Collin County-wide, case-by-case, depends on current funding (972) 727-9131
CoServ Charitable Foundation CoServ electric or gas customers only — mostly northern and western Collin County Apply through CoServ's Financial Assistance Application portal
TDHCA "Help for Texans" Locator Anyone unsure which agency covers their address tdhca.texas.gov/help-for-texans
211 Texas Anyone who needs a fast referral to whatever's currently funded Dial 2-1-1
💡 EasySmart Tip for Collin County Residents: Most of Collin County sits in Oncor's deregulated electric territory, so your actual retail provider is a separate company — TXU Energy, Reliant, or another Oncor-affiliated retailer. Many run their own hardship or "neighbor fund" programs. If TCOG's wait list is too slow, a call to your retail provider's customer service line costs nothing.

If You Get a Disconnect Notice Today

Because CEAP moves on a weeks-long timeline, a same-day shutoff threat needs a different first move. Call your utility company and ask for a payment due-date extension before anything else. Most Texas utilities, CoServ included, offer this. 

It buys you time while a longer-term application like CEAP works through the system. Submit your CEAP application the same day if you want, but don't expect it to stop today's shutoff.

CEAP vs. Local Charities: What's the Difference?

People mix these up constantly. CEAP is a government-funded program with standardized, statewide eligibility rules. Local nonprofits like ACO or the Assistance Center of Collin County run on private donations and set their own rules, so eligibility and funding can look completely different from one to the next.

Feature CEAP Local Nonprofits
Funding Source Federal and state Private donations and grants
Income Rules Statewide standard (150% FPL) Varies by organization
Application Method Mail or drop-off only, through TCOG Varies — online, phone, or in person
Payment Goes To Utility company directly Depends on the program

Applying to one doesn't rule out the other. Plenty of Collin County households layer CEAP with ACO or the Assistance Center while waiting on TCOG's wait list.

Common Mistakes That Delay or Deny Applications

Mistake How to Avoid It
Applying online or by email TCOG only takes mailed or dropped-off paper applications
Sending a Social Security card instead of a birth certificate Use one of the accepted citizenship documents listed above
Submitting last year's award letter Request a current-year letter before applying
Leaving several voicemails in one day TCOG returns calls within 24–48 hours — repeated messages add to the backlog
Assuming a pledge means the bill is already paid Confirm with your utility company that payment posted before assuming you're covered

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often can I apply for CEAP in Collin County?

A: Once per calendar year. If your household was approved earlier this year, you'll need to wait until next year to reapply.

Q: Does applying for CEAP affect my SNAP or TANF benefits?

A: No. It's a separate federal program, run through a different agency. Plenty of households receive more than one type of assistance at once.

Q: Can renters apply, or does this only help homeowners?

A: Renters can apply. CEAP is based on household income and your current utility bill, not homeownership.

Q: My power's getting shut off today. Can TCOG help right now?

A: No. TCOG states directly that it doesn't offer emergency assistance, and average processing takes about 8 weeks. Call your utility company for an extension first, then apply to CEAP for the longer-term fix.

Q: Is Texas Utility Help still where I apply?

A: No. That site stopped taking applications in 2023. Use TDHCA's current "Help for Texans" locator, or go straight to TCOG for Collin County.

Q: What if I move or switch utility companies while my application is pending?

A: Tell TCOG right away. A change of address or provider can affect whether your pledge still applies, and TCOG needs updated account info to send the payment correctly.

Final Thoughts

A rising utility bill doesn't have to turn into a crisis, but timing matters here. CEAP, run locally through TCOG, can genuinely lower what you owe on electric, gas, or propane if your household falls under the income limits above. 

It just isn't built for a shutoff happening this afternoon. Know the difference, use the right tool for the right moment, and you'll get more out of Collin County's utility network than most first-time applicants do.

Start with your utility company if disconnection is imminent. Start with TCOG's paper application if you're planning ahead. And if neither fits, the resources above give you several other doors to try.

Key Takeaways

  • ✔ CEAP for Collin County is administered by Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG), not TDHCA directly.
  • ✔ Applications go by mail or drop-off only — not email, fax, or an online form.
  • ✔ Processing runs on a wait list, about 8 weeks — this is not emergency assistance.
  • ✔ 2026 eligibility tops out around 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, based on household size.
  • ✔ Texas Utility Help's old application website closed in 2023 — use TDHCA's Help for Texans locator instead.
  • ✔ If a shutoff is imminent today, call your utility company for an extension first, then apply to CEAP.
Disclaimer

Easy Smart Hub is an independent informational resource. We are not affiliated with the Texoma Council of Governments, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, CoServ, the Assistance Center of Collin County, Collin County, or any government agency. Income limits, service areas, and application procedures can change, so always confirm current information directly with TCOG or TDHCA before applying.

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