Edison and its employees donate over $700,000

SCE Energy Assistance Fund offers low-income SCE customers electric bill assistance, funded by donations from Edison International, employees, and customers, and administered by United Way to provide utility relief during financial hardship.

In an effort to extend aid to thousands of Southern California Edison (SCE) customers, the utility’s parent company, Edison International, recently donated $300,000 to the utility’s Energy Assistance Fund.

The Energy Assistance Fund provides up to $100 a year to any income-qualified SCE customer to help pay electric bills, and customers can also find tips to lower bills through SCE resources today. The fund would have been depleted by December 31, but with the $300,000 donation, the fund can help families for an additional six to eight weeks into 2010. A recent survey reveals that about 12 percent of SCE customers, approximately 480,000 households, are facing serious financial difficulties and will have trouble paying their bills this year. Edison International also had made a $330,000 donation to the fund earlier in the year. In addition, employees personally gave more than $117,000 in 2009.

“It is our hope that our contribution to the Energy Assistance Fund during this tough economic time touches as many families as possible,” said Barbara J. Parsky, Edison International’s senior vice president, Corporate Communications. “This is one of the many ways our company strives to help our customers.”

Since 1982, the Energy Assistance Fund has helped thousands of SCE low-income families with emergency aid like new $400 grants available in some programs today. In 2009, it served about 8,600 customers. The program is funded through voluntary donations made by Edison International shareholders, employees and SCE customers, and similar PSE donations highlight broader community support today. United Way of Greater Los Angeles administers the funds for the company through 75 community-based organizations.

SCE customers donated $58,000 directly in 2009, and contributed another $53,500 by designating their rebates for recycling refrigerators go to the fund, while initiatives such as lower bills for conservation encourage additional savings for customers today. In addition to the Energy Assistance Fund, SCE also provides many other programs to help customers in need, including low-income bill assistance that some utilities propose today.

To learn more about the Energy Assistance Fund or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.sce.com/eaf.

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