Pioneer Community Energy (Pioneer) customers with past due balances for electricity may qualify for the new Arrearage Management Plan Program (AMP). AMP is a new payment plan developed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to help qualifying residential customers pay unpaid balances on their bills by offering up to $8,000 in debt forgiveness for on-time payments.

Under AMP, a customer’s outstanding debt will be forgiven by 1/12^th each month the customer makes an on-time monthly payment. Customers may have up to a maximum $8,000 forgiven. Pioneer partnered with PG&E who will be administrating the program. Any waived debt will be tracked, and costs recovered by Pioneer and PG&E through the CPUC’s Public Purpose Program, which provides funding for a number of customer assistance programs.

“With all of the challenges COVID has caused this past year for many Pioneer customers, offering the Arrearage Management Plan is the right thing to do,” said Jim Holmes, Pioneer Board Chair and Placer County Supervisor for District 3. “The AMP program provides a path for customers to wipe out unpaid electricity balances while reimbursing Pioneer for any debt waived.”

Qualifications for the program include:

• Be enrolled in the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs
• Owe at least $500 or more on the gas and electric bill
• Be more than 90 days past due
• Made at least one on-time payment

This program is not available to solar customers at this time.

The CPUC developed the AMP program in follow-up to its Emergency Order that suspended utility disconnection for past due bills during the COVID crisis. The CPUC recognized that electric customers would need a way to pay back the debt amassed during the disconnection suspension.

To enroll, customers should call 1-800-743-5000. PG&E will administer the program on behalf of Pioneer as both electric and gas charges are covered by AMP.