SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Many have spoken out or even marched on the Capitol building in Sacramento this week due to high PG&E bills.
With people saying enough is enough, 10 On Your Side went straight to PG&E for answers.
“We understand that inflation is affecting consumers, and utility bills are no exception. We are working hard to reduce our rate increases,” said Paul Moreno, PG&E spokesperson.
As far as what can be done to help people struggling now, Moreno said PG&E’S Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help program or REACH has provided more than 6,500 customers with a total of $5.2 million in funds to help with past due bills, and that’s just for five area counties so far this year.
“Sacramento, San Joaquin, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo Counties — so, it’s only a small part of our service area, but it does show that there is a need out there, and we can provide assistance to customers,” Moreno said.
The REACH program provides up to a $2,000 bill credit to help with past due bills.
“We offer a balanced billing payment plan so that your bill will be the same amount month after month. And we also offer payment plans and payment arrangements for customers who need extra time to pay their bill,” Moreno said.
In just the month of August alone, there's been 17 days of above average temperatures, and Moreno said they never shut off power during extreme heat conditions.
“Also, we have had several hot periods over this summer, much hotter than normal in many areas, and unfortunately, that has increased usage for customers and impacted their bills. So, we very much understand. If you’re in a situation, please give us a call,” Moreno said.
The bottom line is, if you have a concern about your bill, don’t hesitate to reach out.
“If you can make a payment arrangement, we can give you more time to pay your bill, but you need to contact us to do that,” Moreno said.
Moreno said REACH is just one of multiple programs that could help you or your family.
Do you have a problem and don’t know where else to turn? Email me at onyourside@abc10.com.
Other assistance programs and perspective from PG&E include the following:
Income-eligible programs that can help customers lower their bills:
- California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program offers a discount of 20% or more each month on energy bills.
- Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program offers a monthly discount of 18% on electricity bills for households with three or more people.
- Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program provides energy-savings improvements at no charge.
- Relief for Energy Assistance Through Community Help (REACH): a program that provides up to a $2,000 bill credit to help income-eligible customers with past-due balances. In April, PG&E also launched REACH Triple Match, which expands eligibility to more low-to moderate-income customers with past-due balances and requires customers to make at least a $50 bill payment to receive a 3-to-1 match, providing up to a $2,000 total bill credit.
- Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): a federally funded assistance program overseen by the state that offers a one-time payment up to $1,000 on past due bills to help low-income households pay for heating or cooling in their homes.
PG&E also has several free money-saving tools and resources to help customers take charge of their energy expenses including a Home Energy Checkup, Bill Forecast Alerts, and Budget Billing. They can also sign up for the HomeIntel program which provides a free personal energy coach. Our Personalized Rate Comparison can also help ensure customers are on the best rate plan.
Also, this link helps explain where customer bill money goes, including 31 cents of every dollar toward state mandates.
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