Clean Power Alliance Doubles COVID-19 Customer Relief Commitment

October 5, 2020

As COVID-19 related financial hardship continues across Southern California, Clean Power Alliance (CPA) will extend its COVID-19 Relief Program. On October 1, CPA’s Board of Directors doubled the previously approved $1 million program to $2 million of bill credits for struggling residential and small business customers.

“Clean Power Alliance stands with our communities in these challenging times,” said Diana Mahmud, Board Chair, Clean Power Alliance. “Our board is committed to boosting funding for financial assistance programs and extending our electricity bill relief to families and small businesses in need.”

The program has been very popular to date. As of September 11, 2020, CPA authorized bill credits of $1,326,025 to 51,556 residential and small business customers, representing more than 5% of CPA’s total customer base. CPA has mounted an aggressive multilingual marketing campaign since April across its 32 communities, including social media, bus ads, and radio and digital ads in local and ethnic media.

CPA’s bill assistance program provides direct bill credits to customers in need while also providing them with an incentive to take advantage of other available financial assistance programs. These include the state CARE, FERA and Medical Baseline programs administered through Southern California Edison (SCE) and bill payment plans that help customers manage their utility bills during times of financial stress.

CPA’s relief program provides a one-time $25 bill credit to residential customers who sign up for CARE, FERA, or Medical Baseline assistance on or after March 16. For customers already enrolled in these programs, Clean Power Alliance will also give them a one-time $25 bill credit if those customers sign up for an SCE bill payment plan on or after March 16.

Small business customers who are facing cash flow issues due to COVID-19 can also get up to a one-year partial extension on their electricity payments. Clean Power Alliance will give a one-time $50 bill credit to small business customers who sign up for a payment plan through SCE on or after March 16.

“As a locally-controlled non-profit energy provider with a diverse customer base, we are dedicated to helping our most vulnerable customers,” said Ted Bardacke, Executive Director, Clean Power Alliance. “We are pleased to be able to do this immediately through bill credits and over the long term by continuing to combat the unequal impacts of climate change.”

Clean Power Alliance will issue COVID-19 relief bill credits on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are exhausted. Customers interested in signing up for a financial assistance program and/or payment plan should call SCE Customer Service at 800-655-4555. More information is available on Clean Power Alliance’s website: cleanpoweralliance.org/covid19 (English), cleanpoweralliance.org/es/covid19 (Spanish), and cleanpoweralliance.org/zh/covid19 (Chinese).