Bill & Payment Assistance

Orange County Power Authority is here to support you. Several programs are available to help reduce your monthly energy bill, get caught up on late payments, and lower your energy usage.

If you are already signed up for one of the discount programs below through Southern California Edison (SCE), you will remain enrolled and do not need to reapply when you become an OCPA customer. You may view more information on your eligibility through the SCE’s Residential Assistance page.

CARE & FERA Discount Programs

The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs are administered by the state of California through Southern California Edison. These programs provide discounts of up to 18 to 30 percent on energy bills for income-qualified customers. Customers who have experienced changes in their finances, have lost employment, or are receiving unemployment benefits may be eligible for a reduced energy rate through the CARE and FERA programs. To learn more about CARE & FERA Discount Programs, click here.

*Coming Soon* Green Discount Program

OCPA will soon offer a new energy program designed to support low-income and cost-sensitive customers. The Green Discount Program will provide enrolled customers with up to 40% carbon-free energy at a generation rate of 1% less than Southern California Edison’s equivalent generation rate. The Green Discount Program will be available to non-solar (Net Energy Metering/NEM) residential customers, with participation priority given to customers enrolled in California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA).

Arrearage Management Plan (AMP)

Customers enrolled in CARE or FERA with past-due bills at least 90 days old totaling $500 or more, and who has been a customer of OCPA or SCE for at least six months and made a one-time payment within the last 24 months, may be forgiven one-twelfth (1/12) of their eligible past-due amounts in exchange for on-time payment of the current monthly bill. To learn more about Arrearage Management Plan (AMP), click here.

Payment Arrangement

SCE’s Payment Arrangement option offers flexible payment plans to spread out the balance of energy bills, up to 12 months or choose an extension allowing full payment later. This allows you to schedule payment of your current balance over several months to help manage temporary financial strains. To enroll, sign in to your SCE account and click on “Bill Help” or call SCE Billing Support at 1-800-950-2356.

Medical Baseline Allowance

Medical Baseline Allowance is an assistance program for residential customers who depend on power for certain medical and independent living needs. This program provides an additional 16.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day at the lowest baseline rate, helping offset the cost of operating the medical equipment. To learn more about Medical Baseline Allowance, click here.

Bill Assistance

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal program that offers utility bill payment assistance, energy education, and free home weatherization/rehabilitation services in the state of California. To learn more about Bill Assistance, click here.