January 17, 2003

ROSEMEAD, Calif., Jan. 17, 2003-Southern California Edison (SCE) is offering assistance to its customers, who, as United States military personnel, might be facing financial hardship at a time when the free world is battling global terrorism.

Any SCE customer in the military whose family is having difficulty paying an electric bill should call SCE at (800) 655-4555 as soon as possible.  Payment arrangements can be made or extensions granted.  SCE also offers special programs and can provide the names of agencies that can provide additional assistance.

"We understand that at times like this military personnel and their families may experience financial hardship and may need help paying their electric bills," said Suzanne Middelburg, manager for SCE consumer affairs.  "At Edison, we're prepared to extend assistance in every way we can.

Some of the SCE programs and services available to military families to help lower their electric bill or help manage costs include:

  • CARE-Provides a 20% discount on the electric bill if the program-income guidelines are met.  For an application, call (800) 447-6620, or visit www.sce.com (under Rebates & Offers).
  • Friendly Reminder-Designates a friend or relative to be notified when an electric bill becomes past due (that person is not responsible for paying the bill).
  • Level Pay Plan-Levels out the monthly bill by paying the same amount each month.
  • Medical Baseline-If a full-time resident of a home requires electrically operated equipment or has an illness requiring heating and cooling, they may be eligible for this additional baseline allocation which can help lower the bill.
  • Free Home Energy Audits-Customers may call (800) 736-4777 or visit www.sce.com for this free service that gives a customized view of their home energy use and compares it to their electric bills for the past 12 months.
  • Energy Efficiency Tips- Customers may call (800) 736-4777 or visit www.sce.com for a virtual encyclopedia of valuable home energy tips that are affordable, practical, and easy to employ.

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An Edison International company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of more than 12 million via 4.4 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern California.  For more information on the California electricity market, see www.sce.com.