Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) (NYSE: PCG) today announced that it is awarding contracts totaling nearly one million dollars to more than 60 community organizations for assisting in enrolling PG&E residential customers in the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program of discounts on gas and electricity.

The CARE program, authorized by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), provides qualifying consumers with a 20 percent discount on their gas and electricity bills. In addition, electric CARE participants are exempt from recent rate increases. To qualify, a residential customer must have an annual income of less than $22,000 for a household of 1 or 2 persons, $25,900 for 3 persons, and $5,200 for each additional household member. The discount is applied for two years, after which a customer will be asked to reapply. Residents of mobile home parks and other sub-metered tenant facilities may also be eligible.

PG&E is awarding contracts to community groups, organizations, associations and coalitions who agree to serve as grassroots CARE Community Outreach Contractors. A contractor may apply for a performance-based contract that provides compensation on a per-application basis.

"We are very excited about expanding our current efforts with a new grassroots initiative to serve consumers of limited means, by partnering with organizations and others who are dedicated to low-income and fixed-income families and their communities," said Guillermo Rodriguez, Jr., Director of External Relations, Pacific Gas and Electric Company. "Given the high energy prices throughout California this summer, it is more important than ever before that 100% of eligible households enroll in the CARE program and begin saving money."

The Community Outreach Contracts are the latest in PG&E's ongoing efforts to enroll all eligible customers in CARE. Contracts may be awarded to nonprofit organizations, not-for-profit associations, private and public institutions, and other entities to conduct grassroots educational and outreach activities anywhere within PG&E's service territory. Community Outreach Contractors may include charitable and civic organizations, health and social service agencies, membership and trade associations, social clubs, schools and educational institutions, churches and other entities that serve the population eligible for the CARE program.

California communities with large populations of PG&E customers eligible for, but not enrolled in the CARE program include Alameda, Fresno, Humboldt, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Santa Rosa counties.

Organizations interested in applying for a CARE Community Outreach Contract are asked to call Jeff Beresini, PG&E CARE Program Manager, at 415/973-4725, or Tori Walsh at the CARE Outreach Help-Desk at 877/866-1292. Information and applications also are easily available online at www.pge.com/care/outreach.

PG&E customers who believe they may qualify for the CARE program may call 1-800-278-5472 for information and assistance in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin or Vietnamese. Information and applications in English and Spanish are also available online at www.pge.com/care.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, incorporated in California in 1905, is one of the largest combination natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, the company is a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation. There are approximately 20,000 employees who carry out Pacific Gas and Electric Company's primary business—the transmission and delivery of energy. The company provides natural gas and electric service to approximately 15 million people throughout a 70,000-square-mile service area in northern and central California. Pacific Gas and Electric Company and other utilities in the state are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC was created by the state Legislature in 1911. PG&E's Environmental Leadership Pacific Gas and Electric Company recognizes that the choices we make about the way we produce and deliver our products and serve our customers can have a direct impact on the environment. That is why we are committed to raising the bar on environmental stewardship—not only in the utility industry, but for U.S. industries, in general.

More from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)