Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC) has announced they will provide extra financial relief for regional residents. They are now doubling the original $575 energy subsidy per household that NSEDC distributed in March.

According to the corporation, the supplemental $575 will be given to every eligible household within NSEDC’s member communities, totaling $1,150 per house.

Concerns over COVID-19 and the economic burdens that come with response to the coronavirus were the reasons NSEDC’s Board of Directors cited for giving extra energy subsidies this year.

During Nome’s City Council meeting on Monday, Utility Manager John Handeland said close to 1300 Nome households will benefit from NSEDC’s financial gift.

“We all appreciate the assistance they (NSEDC) provided to the community. It amounted to a little over $730,000 that they actually are paying.”

According to Handeland the energy subsidy payments are already being included on Nome customers’ latest utility bills.

With this second NSEDC Energy subsidy the corporation estimates it distributed about $3.1 million to residents across the region.

Image at top: Utility meter in Nome. Photo from Matthew Smith, KNOM file.