Maine is launching a new $36 million program to help eligible households save money on energy bills.

The Home Energy Rebate Program is supported by a federal grant and will help pay for upgrades to clean energy equipment, energy efficiency improvements and reductions in air pollution, according to the governor’s office.

The announcement came following a tour of new energy efficient senior apartments in Westbrook that feature heat pumps, high quality windows and energy saving appliances.

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Gov. Janet Mills visited the apartment building as part of Granholm’s swing through Maine to highlight how states are using federal funds to reduce energy costs.

The one-bedroom Stroudwater Apartments are for those 55 and older and cost $1,400 a month per unit, utilities included.

Solar panels on the roof and electric vehicle charges are also ways the building will help reduce energy use, said Maggie Stanley, construction services director for the Westbrook Development Corp.

“The envelope of this building is about 38% better than current code,” Stanley said, which is projected to cut energy costs by about half. 

Granholm is the latest in a string of Biden cabinet officials to visit Maine in recent months, a list that includes Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

Granholm said Maine is getting $36 million now for the home energy program and will eventually receive an additional $36 million to support home energy improvements. That’s in addition to weatherization funds.

“Maine is now getting over $30 million to expand tenfold how many families can have their home weatherized,” she said.

Mills pointed out that Maine is heavily reliant on heating oil, with 56% of the state still using it as a primary source of heat.

She said that’s why the state, through Efficiency Maine, offers rebates for heat pumps and energy efficient appliances. The new program is in addition to existing programs for all income levels, according to the governor’s office.

That includes manufactured homes and newly constructed affordable multifamily homes.

“We’re paying out of state oil companies a lot of money out of pocket,” Mills said. “Five hundred to $1,000 a month, sometimes to heat your home. That’s money that could be spent here in Maine.”