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In a world of ever-increasing utility rates, Pacific Gas and Electric is expanding the eligibility threshold for one bill assistance program.

It's called The Family Electric Rate Assistance, or FERA program. PG&E spokesperson Megan McFarland said it's for income-qualified customers and they get about an 18% monthly discount on their electric rates.

“Under previous guidelines, only households with three or more people were eligible for the program,” McFarland said. “The program expanded to include one and two-person households. So that means about 150,000 additional customers are now eligible for this discount,” McFarland said.

For one example, a household with one or two people making up to around $53,000 a year could qualify for assistance.

McFarland said the state legislature got involved.

“They passed a senate bill and it eliminated that three or more-person requirement to include one or two person households,” McFarland said.

You can find out if you qualify at the website PGE.com/FERA.

The program doesn't apply to natural gas rates, McFarland said.