Despite global progress towards improving energy access, major challenges remain for closing the energy access gap between ultra-poor and better off households, and for reaching ultra-poor and last mile populations. This research explores the absolute value of per capita expenditures on energy related goods and services and find it is significantly higher for ultra-poor households that receive social cash transfers. It conclude that ultra-poor households experience greater depth of energy poverty compared to better-off households in the same communities. It also find that unconditional social cash transfer payments contribute to improved energy access for the ultra-poor, suggesting that they are a potentially important strategy for catalyzing energy transitions among the ultra-poor.