Eligible CARE/FERA customers receive an additional SVCE discount of $100 or more every year. To date, SVCE has provided $XM of additional support to lower monthly energy bills.
Meeting you where you’re at
Through SVCE, PG&E, state, federal, and other local resources, you are not alone in managing your energy bill.
Build a flexible plan
Payment Plans
Payment Arrangement Plans offer flexible payment plans to spread your account 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’.
Programs to support you
Assistance Programs
See if you qualify.
CARE & FERA Programs
California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) & Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs administered by PG&E provide discounts of up to 18-35% on energy bills for income-qualified customers.
You may qualify if:
- You meet the CARE or FERA Income guidelines
- You or someone in your household takes part in ANY of the public assistance programs listed:
- EBT/CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) - Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)
- CalWORKs (TANF) or Tribal TANF
- Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A & B)
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Medicaid/Medi-Cal (under age 65)
- Medicaid/Medi-Cal (age 65 and over)
SVCE CARE/FERA Bill Credit
As a part of the annual SVCE rate-setting process, customers enrolled in CARE/FERA receive an additional automatic bill credit from SVCE, bringing monthly savings to nearly 40% between the rate assistance programs and the SVCE credit.
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 who 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 SVCE generation portion of your bill and PG&E delivery portion of your bill.
Find the most cost-effective rate plan for your needs
Rate Options
Making sure you’re on the right rate plan for your lifestyle is one of the easiest ways to impact your energy bill.
Once a year, take advantage of bill assistance
One-Time Assistance
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) 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. HEAP offers assistance to customers to help pay energy bills, emergency assistance with utility shut-off notices, and home weatherization to help reduce energy usage.
Improve your spaces’ efficiency and see your bill lowered
Energy Efficiency
Small actions can save you big. Use the tips and tricks below to reduce your energy costs.
1
Take advantage of cheaper energy during “off-peak” hours, and avoid when energy pricing is highest (usually 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.). During off-peak time,
- Run your major appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, dryer)
- Pre-cool or pre-warm your home
- Run any air conditioning or fan units to pre-cool your home
- Charge your EV
SVCE offers a rebate for programmable smart thermostats to make it easy to cool and heat your home when energy is cheapest.
2
Improve your insulation and weatherstrip any leaky windows and doors to keep cool air in when it’s hot, and hot air in when it’s cold. Check out a free DIY Toolkit with free resources to make this and other efficiency upgrades to your home.
3
Install energy-efficient equipment. The SVCE Home Rebates program provides rebates for efficient electric appliances. Increased rebates are available for income-qualified customers who meet specific criteria, including enrollment in the CARE or FERA program, other income-qualified programs, or proof of qualifying income.
4
Utilize the free HomeIntel service to receive an in-depth analysis of your home’s energy use, customized recommendations, and expert energy coaching to help you reduce your energy usage and assess your opportunities for going electric.
There may be other organizations that can assist you with bill relief
Assistance From Local Organizations
There are many local organizations also providing bill relief and resources.
- ca.gov/Pages/FindServicesInYourArea.aspx
- West Valley Community Services
- Sunnyvale Community Services
- Community Services Agency of MV & LA
- Joseph’s Family Center in Gilroy
- Emergency Assistance Network Flyer
Emergency Assistance Network (EAN) – United Way Bay Area
Build a flexible plan
Payment Plans
Payment Arrangement Plans offer flexible payment plans to spread your account 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’.
Programs to support you
Assistance Programs
See if you qualify.
CARE & FERA Programs
California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) & Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs administered by PG&E provide discounts of up to 18-35% on energy bills for income-qualified customers.
You may qualify if:
- You meet the CARE or FERA Income guidelines
- You or someone in your household takes part in ANY of the public assistance programs listed:
- EBT/CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) - Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)
- CalWORKs (TANF) or Tribal TANF
- Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A & B)
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Medicaid/Medi-Cal (under age 65)
- Medicaid/Medi-Cal (age 65 and over)
SVCE CARE/FERA Bill Credit
As a part of the annual SVCE rate-setting process, customers enrolled in CARE/FERA receive an additional automatic bill credit from SVCE, bringing monthly savings to nearly 40% between the rate assistance programs and the SVCE credit.
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 who 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 SVCE generation portion of your bill and PG&E delivery portion of your bill.
Find the most cost-effective rate plan for your needs
Rate Options
Making sure you’re on the right rate plan for your lifestyle is one of the easiest ways to impact your energy bill.
Once a year, take advantage of bill assistance
One-Time Assistance
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) 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. HEAP offers assistance to customers to help pay energy bills, emergency assistance with utility shut-off notices, and home weatherization to help reduce energy usage.
Improve your spaces’ efficiency and see your bill lowered
Energy Efficiency
Small actions can save you big. Use the tips and tricks below to reduce your energy costs.
- Take advantage of cheaper energy during “off-peak” hours, and avoid when energy pricing is highest (usually 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.). During off-peak time,
- Run your major appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, dryer)
- Pre-cool or pre-warm your home
- Run any air conditioning or fan units to pre-cool your home
- Charge your EV
SVCE offers a rebate for programmable smart thermostats to make it easy to cool and heat your home when energy is cheapest.
- Improve your insulation and weatherstrip any leaky windows and doors to keep cool air in when it’s hot, and hot air in when it’s cold. Check out a free DIY Toolkit with free resources to make this and other efficiency upgrades to your home.
- Install energy-efficient equipment. The SVCE Home Rebates program provides rebates for efficient electric appliances. Increased rebates are available for income-qualified customers who meet specific criteria, including enrollment in the CARE or FERA program, other income-qualified programs, or proof of qualifying income.
- Utilize the free HomeIntel service to receive an in-depth analysis of your home’s energy use, customized recommendations, and expert energy coaching to help you reduce your energy usage and assess your opportunities for going electric.
There may be other organizations that can assist you with bill relief
Assistance From Local Organizations
There are many local organizations also providing bill relief and resources.
- ca.gov/Pages/FindServicesInYourArea.aspx
- West Valley Community Services
- Sunnyvale Community Services
- Community Services Agency of MV & LA
- Joseph’s Family Center in Gilroy
- Emergency Assistance Network Flyer
Emergency Assistance Network (EAN) – United Way Bay Area
