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Payment Assistance Programs

Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) provides clean electricity at costs below PG&E rates to residents and businesses in 13 Santa Clara County communities. SVCE partners with PG&E, meaning that PG&E still provides electric and gas delivery and maintenance services, and sends you a monthly energy bill.

Clean energy. Same payment assistance programs.

As an SVCE customer, your energy assistance programs remain the same and continue to apply to your monthly electricity bill, but with a greater discount as an added benefit of being an SVCE customer.

Through SVCE’s partnership with PG&E, new and existing SVCE customers still receive their discounts and can participate in payment assistance programs administered by PG&E.

Use the buttons below to learn more about how to enroll in these programs for monthly bill assistance, one-time bill assistance, payment plans and medical baseline.

Payment Arrangement Plans

Payment Arrangement Plans offers flexible payment plans to spread balance out, up to 12 months or choose an extension allowing full payment later. This allows you to schedule payment of your current balance over several months to help manage temporary financial strains. To enroll sign in to your PG&E account and scroll down to ‘Payment Options’.

Medical Baseline Allowance

Medical Baseline Allowance is an assistance program for residential customers who depend on power for certain medical and independent living needs. The program includes assistance with a lower rate on your monthly energy bill and additional notifications in advance of a Public Safety Power Shutoff.

Residents that qualify may receive an allowance of approximately 500 kWh of electricity at the lowest rate each month based on the medical condition and device. The program is administered through PG&E and the discount applies to both the Silicon Valley Clean Energy generation portion of your bill and PG&E delivery portion of your bill.

The California Public Utilities Commission determined that beginning January 1, 2022, customers enrolled in the Medical Baseline program will no longer be exempt from paying the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA). The PCIA will be applied in a phased approach. In the first year, customers will be paying 25% of the PCIA and each year the amount of the PCIA charged will increase by 25% until January 2025 when the full PCIA charge will be applied.

As a customer of SVCE, you will still see on-bill savings compared to PG&E’s generation service. Visit the webpage to learn more and apply.

SVCE Medical Baseline Battery Program

Silicon Valley Clean Energy, is teaming up with the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center, your local non-profit disability justice organization, to provide eligible residents a free Goal Zero Yeti 3,000X portable battery to use during power outages.

CARE & FERA Programs

California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) & Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs administered by PG&E provide discounts of up to 20-35% on energy bills for income-qualified customers. If you have recent changes in your finances or lost your job, even if receiving unemployment benefits, you may be eligible for a reduced energy rate through the CARE and FERA programs. To see if you qualify and to apply, visit PG&E’s CARE & FERA webpage.

As part of the annual SVCE rate-setting process, CARE/FERA customers in 2023 will receive a $100 bill credit, applied monthly for the year.

storyboard on how to sign up for CARE/FERA programs

Relief for Energy Assistance Through Community Help (REACH)

The REACH program is administered by the non-profit Dollar Energy Fund and provides income-qualified customers with a one-time energy credit each year for up to $300 depending on a past due bill. The program helps customers pay for energy during a crisis and keep utilities services turned on in times of hardship. Learn more and enroll at PG&E’s REACH webpage.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

LIHEAP is a federally-funded assistance program overseen by the California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) and administered regionally by Sacred Heart Community Service. LIHEAP offers assistance to customers to help pay energy bills, emergency assistance with utility shut-off notices  and home weatherization to help reduce energy usage.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program

As part of the December 2020 Federal Stimulus Bill, income-eligible households can receive rent and utility bill payment assistance through California COVID-19 Rent Relief. To learn more and apply visit the California Housing webpage.

Homeowner Assistance Fund

Through the 2021 American Rescue Plan, income-eligible customers may be eligible for mortgage and utility bill assistance with the California Mortgage Relief Program in light of
financial hardships due to COVID-19. Learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply at the California Mortgage Relief website.