The state of California will make $1.4 billion available by the end of the year for residents who have struggled to pay their utility bills due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor’s office said Tuesday.
The state plans to disperse some $1.2 billion to residential electric utilities and $200 million to residential water and wastewater utilities to erase outstanding debt.
The state has already distributed $1.4 billion in electric, gas and water bill relief prior to Tuesday’s announcement, supporting some 2.2 million households, according to the governor’s office.
“No other state in America did as much for those struggling during the pandemic than California, with tens of billions of dollars for stimulus checks, small business relief, and past-due rent and utility bills to help Californians,” Gov. Gavin Newsom touted.
The $1.4 billion to be distributed by year’s end was included in the state’s budget for fiscal year 2022-2023, which began July 1.