ATLANTA - Concerned about how low-income Georgia residents will face soaring heating bills this winter, state regulators want to release $6 million in assistance.

On Tuesday, the Georgia Public Service Commission will vote on whether to spend the money from a Universal Service Fund collected by Atlanta Gas Light to pay for emergency bill relief and to run pipes to areas without natural gas service.

Commission Chairwoman Angela Speir, who proposed the move Thursday, said the money could give additional $220 payments to 27,000 natural gas customers in the state who also qualify for federal help.

She said rates for natural gas in the state jumped 30 percent between August and September.

"Clearly, there is a need," Ms. Speir said. "Now is the appropriate time to act."

If approved, the money would be used to supplement the state's annual portion of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, which gives qualifying applicants between $174 and $220 a year for utility bills.

Last year, the state received $19 million in LIHEAP funds, which also can be used for electricity, propane or wood. The state Universal Service Fund money is limited to Atlanta Gas Light customers.

Rising energy costs coupled with hurricane-related damage to the Gulf Coast's natural-gas production facilities have prompted lawmakers across the nation to look at assistance for the winter.

Congress is weighing requests from its members to add between $1.3 billion and $2 billion to this year's LIHEAP levels.

Last year, the program distributed $2.2 billion to community groups to portion out to applicants.

Last week a bipartisan group of 28 governors also called on Congress to release the emergency funds.

Benefits have not kept pace with the rising cost of energy, said Mark Wolfe, the executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association.

"The average benefit was about $300 three years ago, and it's still $300," he said. "But the cost of energy has gone up - almost doubled. We're facing severe affordability issues this winter."

Georgia does not budget state funds toward the program, but some Democratic legislators said that option should have been discussed during the special session in Atlanta this month to suspend gasoline taxes.