PR Newswire
OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 25, 2024
Nearly 58,000 Customers Received REACH Benefits in 2024; Customers are Encouraged to Check Eligibility and Apply for CARE & FERA
OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 58,000 Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers received more than $50 million in total financial assistance this year from the Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) program. Now, PG&E is raising awareness of other income-eligible support programs including California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA). PG&E is encouraging customers who may qualify to check their eligibility and apply for a monthly bill discount here.
The record REACH program assistance comes after PG&E's $55 million contribution to expand benefits in 2024. PG&E partners with the nonprofit Dollar Energy Fund (DEF) to administer the REACH program. Maximum customer bill credits were increased from $500 to $2,000, and a larger pool of income-eligible customers qualified for a 3-to-1 match on customers bill payments of $50 or more to further reduce an unpaid balance with REACH Triple Match.
The largest number of approved customer applications and funding for REACH and REACH Triple Match was distributed in the following five counties:
County | Approved Customer (REACH & REACH Triple Match) | Funds Distributed (REACH & REACH Triple Match) |
Fresno | 13,743 | $9,809,543 |
Kern | 8,164 | $5,722,582 |
San Joaquin | 7,529 | $5,243,245 |
Contra Costa | 5,860 | $3,847,391 |
Alameda | 5,145 | $2,975,949 |
Funding for the REACH program was fully utilized in September. In January 2025, PG&E expects to re-open the REACH program at the standard benefit level of up to $300 per household a year.
"Service is central to our mission, and we want our customers to know about the various bill support programs that can help provide them with immediate relief," said Vincent Davis, PG&E Senior Vice President, Customer Experience. "Customers who qualify for REACH may also qualify for the CARE and FERA programs, which reduced customer bills by almost $1 billion in 2023. We encourage eligible customers to apply for the available support."
CARE & FERA Programs
The CARE and FERA programs provide a monthly discount for income-qualified households and share one application. However, each program offers a different type of energy discount and has different eligibility guidelines:
- CARE: provides a monthly discount of 20% or more on gas and electricity bills.
- FERA: provides a monthly discount of 18% on electricity for households of three or more people.
Other Income-Eligible Assistance Programs
PG&E has other assistance programs to help income-eligible customers pay their energy bills:
- 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. Over 58,000 PG&E customers have received nearly $49 million in LIHEAP funding so far this year.
- Arrearage Management Plan (AMP): a debt forgiveness plan for eligible residential customers.
Other programs include Medical Baseline, which offers a lower monthly rate for customers with certain medical conditions.
To learn more about PG&E's energy-saving programs to help lower your bills, visit Save Energy & Money.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than sixteen million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.
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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company
