PORTSMOUTH, N.H. – Several banks in the state are offering “energy loans” to help people with their home heating bills.

Sharon Brody, fuel-assistance manager for Rockingham Community Action, says it’s a sign of the times. It’s not even midwinter, but already she’s fielding phone calls from people who have exhausted their emergency home heating aid.

“They’re starting to panic,” Brody said. “Winter is not over; the little groundhog has not even come out yet. We’ve got a long way to go.”

Contributing to the problem is a new formula for distributing $100 million in emergency funding for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. More money went to warm-weather states than in past years.

As a result, northern states got less. New Hampshire got $16.4 million this year compared to $18.3 million last winter, according to state officials – even though fuel costs are much higher.

Banks and credit unions are filling the gap with short-term, low-interest loans. Some gas and electric utilities also are offering credit extensions and deferred payment plans.

In Maine, a number of credit unions are offering low-interest “energy loans” that can be used to pay for fuel, buy a wood stove or take measures to make a home more energy-efficient, such as adding insulation.