Help paying your electric bill in California
California got $242.1 million in the HHS table, about $18 for each of its 13,434,847 households. Income limit 60% of state median income; public line 1-866-675-6623. Heating help reached 69,115 households in FY2024.
Who to call in California
- California LIHEAP public line1-866-675-6623
- State program sitecsd.ca.gov
- California Public Utilities Commission800-649-7570 · cpuc.ca.gov · complaint form (links checked 2026-10-02)
Shutoff rules and moratoria in California
California: cold weather by temperature; hot weather by temperature; health or age needs yes.
| Protection | California |
|---|---|
| Cold temperature | Forecast to be 32°F or below within next 72 hours. |
| Hot temperature | Forecast to be 100°F or above within next 72 hours. |
| Health or age needs | “A customer must obtain a signature on a pre-printed form from a licensed physician or other health care provider certifying as to the customer’s condition. Each of the utilities have processes in place to protect customers who have taken steps to have... |
Clearinghouse, April 2026; cites Public Power Safety Shutoffs - CPUC; PG&E Comments to CPUC; CPUP Decision 20-06-003.
Check against the summary above. The cold/heat forecast rows in the Clearinghouse table above (32°F / 100°F within 72 hours) are per LIHEAP Clearinghouse summary. We confirmed them only in PG&E's tariff (Rule 11, B), with 'above 100 / below 32'; not confirmed in the statute, for SCE or SDG&E, or in a CPUC decision text.
Rule text read, 2 October 2026: Cal. Public Utilities Code § 779.1. California requires 19 days to pay a bill, then a mailed delinquency notice giving at least 10 days (counted from five days after mailing), plus an attempt to phone or visit 24 hours ahead or a 48-hour notice. The statutes have no weather ban; § 779.2 bars cutting service over a debt owed to someone else. A 100°F / 32°F forecast rule appears in PG&E's tariff, not in the statute. Quote: “Residential service shall not be disconnected when temperatures above 100 degrees or below 32 degrees are forecasted by PG&E”. Source: text of the rule (state official (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)). Second source: PG&E tariff, Electric Rule 11.
| Point | California: Cal. Public Utilities Code § 779.1 |
|---|---|
| Winter / cold | No season or temperature ban in Pub. Util. Code §§ 779.1, 779.2 or 777.1 (read in full). The only weather rule we read is in PG&E's own tariff, Electric Rule 11 section B (sheet effective 1 April 2021, Resolution M-4849): residential service is not disconnected when temperatures above 100 degrees or below 32 degrees are forecast by PG&E on a 72-hour look-ahead. Note the tariff says above 100 and below 32, not 'or above / or below' as the LIHEAP Clearinghouse summary has it. |
| Heat | Same PG&E tariff rule (above 100 degrees, 72-hour look-ahead). Not confirmed in the rule text for Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric or other utilities; the CPUC decision behind the tariff (the Clearinghouse cites D.20-06-003) was not read. |
| Who is protected | Customers 65 or older and dependent adults can request a third-party notification service on the corporation's form with the third party's written consent; it does not delay termination ((c)). |
| Notice | At least 19 days from the mailing of the bill to pay; termination notice mailed not earlier than 19 days after the bill and at least 10 days before proposed termination, with the 10 days starting five days after mailing ((a)); phone or personal contact attempt at least 24 hours before, else notice by mail or in person at least 48 hours before ((b)). Notice must include amount, date, complaint procedure, amortization request, assistance info, a phone number, and the commission's phone number ((d)). After a broken amortization agreement, 48 hours' notice ((f)). |
| Payment plan | Notice must describe the procedure to request amortization of the unpaid charges ((d)(5)); breach of an amortization agreement needs 48 hours' notice ((f)). |
| Who the rule covers | Statute: every electrical, gas, heat or water corporation, residential customers (§ 779.1). Weather rule: confirmed only for PG&E (its tariff); other utilities not confirmed. Municipal utilities and co-ops: not addressed in the text read. |
| Complaints | Customers whose complaint got an adverse result may appeal to the commission ((e)); notice must include the commission's phone number (number itself not in text). |
Not read: SCE and SDG&E Rule 11, CPUC decisions (D.12-03-054, D.19-07-015, D.20-06-003), CPUC consumer pages (the pages we tried returned 404 or were blocked), PG&E's current sheet beyond sheet 1.
Paraphrase, not legal advice. Rules change; see the shutoff rules guide.
LIHEAP in California: money, limits, people helped
| Measure | California | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Funds FY2026 | $242,108,452 = $212,109,167 + $5,339,144 IIJA + $24,660,141 | FY26 table |
| Income limit | Heating, Cooling, Crisis, & Weatherization: 60% State Median Income | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Benefits FY2026 | Heating: $94 minimum, $1,500 maximum, Cooling: $283 minimum, $932 maximum Crisis: $1,500 maximum | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Helped FY2024 | Heating: 69,115 Cooling: 28,177 Crisis: 82,377 Weatherization: 4,808 | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
| Program dates | Heating: Year Round Cooling: Year Round Crisis: Year Round Weatherization: Year Round | snapshot 20 Apr 2026 |
CSV
CSVCalifornia in numbers
- California ranks 47th of 51 on FY26 LIHEAP dollars per household ($18), 27th on households below the poverty line (11.7%) and 45th on low-income energy burden (6.7%).
- Per household below the poverty line (1,577,419 of them) the FY26 funds come to $153, rank 46th of 51: 8% of a typical year's electricity ($1,874). (even split, not a payment amount)
- 187,456 households got help in FY2022 against 3,499,443 at or below 60% of state median income in the 2022 LEAD file: about 5% (mixed years).
- Average heating benefit FY2022: $446, 24% of that year.
- Heating season: Year Round. Counted FY2024: heating, cooling, crisis, weatherization.
- Neighbours: FY26 dollars per household run from $13 (Arizona) to $24 (Oregon); low-income burden from 6.2% (Oregon) to 8.8% (Nevada). California: $18 and 6.7%.
Where California's low-income bills bite hardest
- Highest burden: Sierra County 15.8% (342 households); Plumas County 14.3% (2,441 households); Mono County 12.7% (1,115 households); Inyo County 12.4% (2,470 households).
- Most low-income households: Los Angeles County 1,007,858 (6.0%); San Diego County 264,078 (5.5%); Orange County 225,245 (6.0%).
57 counties.
Am I likely eligible in California?
California sets its limit at 60% of state median income; no estimate here. Median household income is $96,334.
How heavy is the energy bill in California?
6.7% of income in low-income households, 1.7% overall. Ranking, California prices.
| Group | Count | California detail | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 60% of median income | 3,499,443 households | 6.7% of income; $1,567 a year on $23,468 | rank 45 of 51 |
| All households | 13,315,822 households | 1.7%; $2,107 on $123,454 | rank 47 of 51 |
| Below poverty line | 1,577,419 households | 11.7% of 13,434,847 | U.S. 12.5%; rank 27 of 51 |
| Home price 2025 | 32.54 ¢/kWh | bill $156 a month at 480 kWh | U.S. 17.30 ¢, $152 |
CSV
CSVUtility and state bill programs in California
- California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Low-income customers that are enrolled in the CARE program receive a 30-35 percent discount on their electric and 20 percent discount on their natural gas bills. Check the website for income eligibility guidelines.To request an...
- Liberty Utilities CARE Through the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program eligible customers receive a 20 percent discount on electric and natural gas bills. CARE income guidelines and applications are available on the utility's...
- Medical Baseline Allowance This program provides an increase in the baseline allowance, the amount of energy that is charged at the lowest possible rate. If someone in a household has multiple sclerosis, a life-threatening illness, is a paraplegic...
- CARE The Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program can provide a monthly discount on your electric bills. The program is designed for income-qualified households of three or more persons. See for CARE income guidelines.
Excerpts, section of 20 Apr 2026. Utilities: Alameda Municipal Power, Alpine Natural Gas, Anaheim Public Utilities, Azusa Light and Water, Bear Valley Electric, Burbank Water and Power and 33 more.
California on the map
Next to California
Arizona, Nevada, Oregon. Most FY26 funds per household: Oregon, $24. California: $18. All 51.
5 steps if you get a shutoff notice in California
- Note the notice date.
- Call the utility (California Public Utilities Commission sets rules).
- Call 1-866-675-6623 or 211.
- Ask about temperature-based or health protection.
- Unresolved: California Public Utilities Commission, 800-649-7570.
Sources
Linked above; list on the hub.
Last verified: 2 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
How big is the energy burden in California?
6.7% of income for low-income households, 1.7% for all; $1,567 a year for the first group.
How many California households got energy help?
187,456 in FY2022, 69,115 heating in FY2024, average heating benefit $446.
Is LIHEAP money enough for a California bill?
$153 per poor household, 8% of $1,874.
How much LIHEAP money does California get?
$242.1 million in FY2026, $18 per household, rank 47 of 51.
What income limit does California use for LIHEAP?
60% of state median income; median household income $96,334; FY2022 heating standard 223% for four.
How do I apply for LIHEAP in California?
Call 1-866-675-6623. Site: www.csd.ca.gov
Can California utilities cut power in winter or summer?
temperature for cold; temperature for heat. Forecast to be 32°F or below within next 72 hours.