14,400 Central Coast customers may be eligible for PG&E bill help

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has announced that it will be offering financial support to eligible customers needing help paying for past-due energy bills.

The company saying that it has allotted $50 million towards new and existing programs, including the Match My Payment Program and the PG&E Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) program.

According to PG&E, 5,196 customers in Monterey County could qualify for the Match My Payment Program of up to $1,000, while 1,027 people in San Benito and 2,513 people in Santa Cruz counties could qualify.

Of that amount, 5,089 in Monterey, 612 in San Benito and 1,867 Santa Cruz County residents could be eligible for REACH funding of up to $300.

PG&E's Match My Payment Program offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to $1,000, while the REACH program provides income-eligible customers a bill credit of up to $300 based on the past-due bill.

The Match My Payment Program is scheduled to end December 31, 2025 with eligibility based on federal income guidelines (i.e. a family of four making less than $128,600 per year).

Application information and more details about the programs, can be found by visiting PG&E's website here.

Funding is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on available resources.