The Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday announced plans to loan up to about one-third of the U.S. emergency heating oil reserve in an effort to ease price pressures facing consumers as global conflicts constrain energy supplies.

The announcement indicated that the DOE will loan up to 315,000 barrels of fuel oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve to mitigate supply disruptions. The reserve holds a supply of one million barrels of ultra-low sulfur distillate, which serves as heating oil, at four locations in the Northeast due to the popularity of heating oil as a significant source of home heating in the region.

Under the terms of the DOE's request for proposal, companies that borrow from the reserve in the 2026-27 heating season must return the same volume of oil plus a premium to refill the reserve before the 2027-28 heating season.

"The Trump administration is committed to doing everything in our power to lower energy costs for the American people," said Energy Secretary Chris Wright.…