State Energy Assistance Program distributes over $21 million to help pay utility bills. //end headline wrapper ?> Get a daily rundown of the top stories on Urban Milwaukee The state expects to receive more federal funding that it will use to help residents who are behind on their utility bills. File photo by Brittany Carloni/NNS. Struggling residents caught a break this week after the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program distributed over $21 million to consumer-owned utility companies to help clear overdue utility bills. Brendan Conway, a spokesman for We Energies, said 18,000 of his company’s customers will receive assistance. This represents about half of the total recipients. Conway said We Energies customers accounted for about $12 million of the new payments.