- PG&E expands FERA program to include one- and two-person households.
- An estimated 150,000 additional customers now eligible for an 18% discount on electric rates.
- In 2024, FERA distributed over $21 million in discounts to 39,000 customers.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has expanded its Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program, making more customers eligible for a significant discount on their electric rates. The program now includes one- and two-person households, which is expected to benefit approximately 150,000 additional customers with an 18% discount on their electricity bills. This expansion follows the enactment of Senate Bill 1130 in 2024, which revised the eligibility criteria.
Under the new guidelines, households of one or two people earning up to $52,875 annually can qualify for the FERA program. Previously, the program was limited to households with three or more persons. The program aims to ease the financial burden of electricity costs for smaller households that meet the income requirement.
In 2024, the FERA program successfully provided over $21 million in discounts to more than 39,000 PG&E customers, with an average monthly savings of more than $45 per customer. Vincent Davis, PG&E's Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, emphasized the importance of expanding these criteria to offer more meaningful savings to a larger number of households.
In addition to the FERA program, PG&E (PCG, Financial) offers several other assistance plans, including the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), which offers a 20% or more discount, the Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) program providing up to $300 in bill credits, and the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which offers up to $1,500 in bill payments.
Customers interested in applying for the FERA program can contact PG&E by calling 1-877-660-6789 or emailing [email protected]. They are encouraged to check their eligibility and apply for the monthly discount.
PG&E is a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (PCG, Financial) and serves more than sixteen million people across Northern and Central California.
