PG&E commits $50M in utility bill relief as Valley heat wave rolls in

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Larry Scott Brown has been the proprietor of Fresno's Book Now for astir 2 decades.

As a tiny concern owner, he's seen his inferior measure astir treble from $350 to $625 this month, treble what helium typically pays arsenic Valley temperatures increase.

"I deliberation astir $7,750. I deliberation it's the highest I've had it at," Brown said.

Brown is offsetting the outgo of his rising inferior bills done different means.

Such arsenic keeping the thermostat acceptable to 79 degrees and positioning arsenic galore arsenic 8 fans passim his 2,200 quadrate ft store.

"I'm a half-price bookstore, truthful we started doing immoderate different things, but you know, you person a definite thing. I can't set my prices for you cognize each of a sudden, 'Hey, this month's tough, you got to wage full-price for a book,'" He said.

PG&E is reminding its 16 cardinal customers astir its measure alleviation programs for those with past-due vigor bills.

"PG&E ran the numbers successful the Central Valley and we person thousands and thousands of customers who suffice for these programs and they're not taking vantage and that's wherefore we're trying to get the connection retired today," PG&E Spokesperson Megan McFarland said.

The inferior institution is launching its Match My Payment program, which offers a dollar-for-dollar lucifer up to $1,000 for debased to moderate-income customers.

Customers tin besides use and suffice for different programme offering hundreds of dollars successful one-time savings done its Relief for Energy Assistance done Community Help.

"It's called our Reach Program. Similarly, it provides income-eligible customers with an vigor recognition of up to $300 connected a past-due bill," McFarland said.

For REACH recipients, the eligible income levels are little and are for those customers who person received a disconnection notice.

"The extremity of some programs is the same, we're trying to supply alleviation to customers who are struggling, but conscionable antithetic amounts of money," McFarland said.

PG&E is hosting a fiscal assistance lawsuit astatine the Sanger Community Center connected Friday, July 11.

To larn if you suffice for measure assistance enrollment, bring a caller measure statement, a photograph ID and impervious of income.

The adjacent lawsuit successful Fresno County volition beryllium connected August 1 astatine the Teague Community Center.

For quality updates, travel Christina Lopez connected Facebook, X and Instagram.