Photo by: BJ Hansen
Sonora, CA — Pacific Gas and Electric bills are increasing, starting this month, thanks to a rate hike that took effect on January 1st.
The company is starting to charge about 13% more for electricity, bringing average monthly bills up by about $33. The money, as part of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved increase, will be used for things like wildfire mitigation and efforts to bury powerlines. The CPUC will also review an additional proposed hike in the next few months, set to potentially increase rates by an additional $14 per month.
Since early 2021, PG&E bills have increased by 38%, or an average of $52 per month.
The company also announced Tuesday that it is expanding its Relief for Energy Assistance Through Community Help (Reach) program. It is designed to help customers who are having challenges paying bills. PG&E is putting an additional $55 million in the program and increasing the maximum one-time credit amount from $500 to $1,000.
Households must have an active account, have a past due balance not exceeding $2,000, and meet certain income requirements.
Written by BJ Hansen.
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