Utility Bill Payment Plans

The programs provide utility assistance to low-income customers who meet eligibility requirements in the Southern California Edison service area. Services include discounted utility services, energy conservation improvements and utility disconnection notices for older adults. 

  Discount Utility Programs include the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE), the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA), Energy Assistance Fund (EAF), Budget Billing Plan, Arrearage Management Plan (AMP), Energy Savings Assistance Program (ESA), Summer Discount Plan, and Smart Energy Plan. Southern California Edison also provides a Friendly Reminder notification program. 

  CARE is a utility bill discount program that provides up to a 30% discount off the electricity bill of Southern California Edison customers who meet the income guidelines. CARE is an ongoing program and there is no annual re-certification requirement. However, each year customers may be randomly selected to provide proof of qualification for re-certification or to self re-certify by simply claiming that they do qualify. The program is also available for non-profit facilities such as homeless shelters, hospices and residential treatment facilities.

  FERA is a utility bill discount program that provides up to a 15% discount off the electricity bill of income qualified customers with a minimum of three or more permanent residents in the household. The total household income must meet the program guidelines. 

  EAF/Rate Relief is a program that helps SCE income-qualified residential customers pay their electrical bills. Customers are eligible for this assistance one time in a 12-month period. Maximum assistance amounts is up to $100, based on actual amount owed. The maximum assistance amount is subject to change for each program year. 

Budget Billing Plan offers eligible customers the opportunity to pay for their annual electricity service across 11 equal monthly payments. The plan does not reduce the amount of your bill but can split across 11 equal monthly payments throughout the year. 

• Must be SCE customer

AMP Eligibility (must meet all requirements below):

• Must be enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate

Assistance (FERA) program;

• Must have total past due amount of $500 or greater, some of which are at least 90 days old;

• Must have been a customer of SCE for at least six months;

• Must have made an on-time payment within the last 24 months that equals or exceeds the

most current customer bill at the time of payment.

• Net Energy Metering (NEM), Direct Access (DA), and master metered customers are not

eligible at this time.

    Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) Program offers a debt forgiveness payment plan option for eligible residential customers already enrolled in the CARE or FERA programs. The past due bills must total $500 or greater and be at least 90 days old. AMP will forgive on twelfth (1/12) of eligible utility debt after each on-time payment of the current monthly bill. After 12 on-time payments of individual monthly bills, the debt is fully forgiven (up to $8,000 per customer). 

• Must be enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate

Assistance (FERA) program;

• Must have total past due amount of $500 or greater, some of which are at least 90 days old;

• Must have been a customer of SCE for at least six months;

• Must have made an on-time payment within the last 24 months that equals or exceeds the

most current customer bill at the time of payment.

• Net Energy Metering (NEM), Direct Access (DA), and master metered customers are not

eligible at this time.

    Energy Savings Assistance Program (ESA) offers energy-efficient appliances and weatherization services at no charge or at minimal charge. Program includes installation cost for qualified customers. SCE customers may be eligible for several appliance upgrades or energy-saving services. These are grouped into Basic and Basic Plus offerings. Basic offerings include: replacement of refrigerator, clothes washer, dishwasher, freezer, cooling system heat pump water heater, etc.

• Must be homeowner or renter receiving electric services through residential meter

• Must reside in single-family home (with four or fewer units) or mobile home

• Must have an active SCE account

• Meet appliance replacement/installation requirements for each service

• Must meet either Public Assistance Program (A) OR Income (B) eligibility below:

A) You can qualify for the ESA Program if you or someone in your home participates in at

least one of the eligible public assistance programs listed below.

-Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance

-CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)

-CalWorks (TANF)/Tribal TANF

-Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)

-LIHEAP

-Medi-Cal/Medicaid

-Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A&B)

-Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

-Women, Infants, and Children W.I.C.

OR

B) Effective July 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, ESA income limits are as follows:

Household Size Total Combined Annual Income Limit

1$36,450

2$49,300

3$62,150

4$75,000

5$87,850

6$100,700

7$113,550

8$126,400

Each additional person $12,850

    Summer Discount Plan offers up to $180 in credits on energy bill from June 1 to October 1 in return for allowing SCE to turn off or cycle your air conditioning during energy events based on your program preferences. Through the program, SCE installs a remote-controlled device on or near your air conditioner at no cost. 

• Must have a fully operational central air conditioning system.

• Not eligible: Customers receiving Medical Baseline allocation for air-conditioning under

Schedule MP or participating in the Smart Energy Program are not eligible.

   Smart Energy Program offers $75 bill credit for enrolling and up to $40 in bill credits each year for participating in the program from June 1 through September 30. If you are enrolled in the Smart Energy Program, during SCE energy events SCE will notify your smart thermostat provider to temporarily adjust your thermostat up to four degrees higher to limit A/C usage.

• Customers must have a qualifying smart thermostat set up to control a central air

conditioning system.

 The Friendly Reminder Program allows a customer to designate a third party to receive notification if a bill becomes past due or service will be disconnected. The customer and third party must both sign the application form. The third party designee is not responsible for payment. Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) Program is a debt forgiveness payment plan option for residential CARE and FERA customers who have past due bills totaling $500 or greater which are at least 90 days old. The program forgives 1/12 of the eligible total past due amount in exchange for making on-time payment of your current monthly bill. After 12 on-time payments of individual monthly bills, the debt is fully forgiven (up to $8,000 per customer). Individuals must be enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program have total arrears of $500 or greater, some of which are at least 90 days old, have been a customer of SCE for at least six months and have made an on-time payment within the last 24 months that equals or exceeds the most current customer bill at the time of payment.