PG&E Announces Kincade Fire Recovery Support

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Pacific Gas and Electric Co. this week outlined a series of disaster-relief billing and service modifications the utility company has made available to residential customers and business owners impacted by the recent Kincade Fire. At least 174 homes and 11 businesses were destroyed by the wildfire that broke out Oct. 23 near Geyserville and went on to burn more than 77,000 acres in northeast Sonoma County. Another 60 homes, businesses and other structures were damaged by the blaze that prompted the largest evacuation in the history of Sonoma County.

One of the ways PG&E says it is supporting affected customers is Bill Forgiveness. Balances owed for PG&E energy charges associated with a home or business lost in the fire will be brought to zero, company officials said Tuesday in a news release.

Further, in partnership with PG&E, customers served by the local Community Choice Aggregation will also have energy charges brought to a zero balance, according to Deanna Contreras, PG&E's spokeswoman for the North Bay.

Second, PG&E is offering flexible payment plans once customers start receiving gas and electric service again, Contreras said. Reconnection fees and security deposits are also being waived, as are temporary service fees.

PG&E is expediting move-in and move-out service requests, and offering affected customers the ability to re-establish service under a prior rate schedule, according to company officials.

PG&E will also stop any collections action through 2020 for customers who lost property in the Kincade Fire, Contreras said.

PG&E has a Community Rebuild Team specifically assigned to support requests for new and temporary electric service, according to company officials.

Complete information for customers recovering from the Kincade Fire, including additional support for low-income customers, is posted at PGE.com/consumer-protections.

Customers can also call PG&E's dedicated Building and Renovation line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 877-743-7782 and follow a special prompt for Kincade Fire victims.

"Our hearts go out to our customers who are impacted by the recent Kincade fire," said Deb Affonsa, vice president of customer service for PG&E. "PG&E is committed to supporting customers in need by further enhancing our standing disaster billing and credit policies to allow our customers to focus on getting back on their feet. As customers concentrate on the future, we are with them every step of the way."

The cause of the Kincade Fire remains under investigation, according to Cal Fire.