WEST SACRAMENTO, California — After almost two weeks of triple-digit temperatures, the Sacramento area is bracing for its electricity bills.
Much like the recent temperatures, those bills will probably be in the triple digits.
West Sacramento PG&E customers like Carson Eades tried to follow cost-saving tips like setting the thermostat to 78 degrees.
“It’s a nightmare, our last electric bill was $650. Our home is 2,400 square feet, and we’ve got a three-ton unit but it’s kind of crazy. We are paying ridiculous rates at PG&E,” Eades said.
While everyone is bracing for the bottom line of their electricity bill, for some, there is financial assistance available.
Community Resource Project is a non-profit based in Sacramento. For decades, the organization has been helping income-qualified families tackle their utility bills.
Once every 12 months, people can receive assistance with a PG&E or SMUD bill they just can’t pay.
Lori Hewitt, the Community Outreach Supervisor, shared how they’ll even come out to your home to help with energy efficiency.
“HVAC units, it could be water heaters, refrigerators, washers, dryers, weatherization of the home such as windows things that really help with the energy burden that in turn helps with energy bill because it created energy efficiency,” Hewitt said.
With the recent stretch of record-breaking heat, there has been a demand for the HVAC repair program. The current wait time is six months.
You can apply for the community resource project if you live in Sacramento, Sutter, Yuba and San Joaquin counties. You can check to see if your income qualifies you for bill assistance online at the Community Resource Project.
If you are looking for energy assistance programs check with your utility provider for discounts or payment assistance. Your local county should also have programs, and at the state level, there’s HEAP, Home Energy Assistance Programs.
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