Be Alert to Utility Scams and Fraud

Know How to Spot a Scam

• We will never ask you to pay your utility bill with a prepaid credit card, gift card or a third party payment app.
• We will never ask you to make your utility payment at a grocery or convenience store.
• Caller ID can be falsified. Scam callers may fake a Silicon Valley Power or City of Santa Clara phone number.
• If a caller asks for personal information or a payment, do not provide it. Hang up and call the City of Santa Clara Municipal Services Department at (408) 615-2300 if you are concerned about your account status.

If you receive such a call, hang up immediately. To report a scam, contact the Santa Clara Police Department at scpd.org.

Utility Rate Discounts

Many senior citizens are on a fixed income and may qualify for our Financial Rate Assistance Program, which provides a discount up to 40% off the electric portion of your utility bill. Once enrolled in this program, you are also automatically enrolled in programs for water and garbage rate discounts, too. You may also be eligible for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). This is a non-emergency federally-funded program that assists low-income households with paying home energy bills once a year.

Customers who do not meet income eligibility requirements, but who have a medical condition that requires the use of high energy-consuming equipment may be eligible for the Medical Rate Assistance Program.

Get more program details on each of these programs by visiting our Financial Rate Assistance Program.

Resources to Help Save Money on Your Electric Bill

• Replace inefficient incandescent light bulbs with LEDs. They provide the same light output but use up to 75% less energy. To learn how to select the right bulb for your needs, watch our short video on how to choose the best light. 
• Heating your home with electric space heaters can significantly increase your electric bill. Learn how to use space heaters efficiently by viewing our Space Heater Guide. 
• Program your thermostat to keep you comfortable while you are home and awake, but ensure you are not paying to heat or cool your home while you are away. Our tip sheet on programming your thermostat can help. 
• For more ways you can save money on your electric bill, check out our energy saving tips! If you are upgrading to energy efficient appliances, check out our rebates to receive cash back on your purchase.

Prepare for a Power Outage

Power outages can occur for a variety of reasons and it is important to always be prepared. We provide a variety of resources to help you.

• Visit our outage preparedness webpage for tips on how you can be prepared and keep your food safe.
• You can also download a copy of our Outage Preparedness handout.
• Information is also available on PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoff program, where you can also find links to cooling center locations, the Red Cross Power Outage Checklist, and more. 

As we age, we notice certain natural changes in our vision, including reduced vision and more sensitivity to glare. What not everyone knows is that as people grow older, less light reaches the back of the eye, which can lead to additional problems. These include an increased chance of falling and disruption of sleep schedules, which is caused by the body’s circadian rhythm getting out of sync due to less light reaching the retina.

Good lighting design can help to reduce the risk of falling, improve sleep schedules, and help you see better. Here are some tips you can use to improve lighting design in your home:

• Provide extra light – paint walls a light color to increase reflected light within the room. Add under cabinet lighting for improved visibility of workspaces. Add flexible task lighting to provide adequate light for specific tasks and place table o floor lamps near reading chairs and beds.
• Avoid shadows – Place lamps to the left of a right-handed person or to the right of a left-handed person. Lighting from the side helps to reduce glare and shadows on the task, and placing the lamp on the opposite side from the hand doing the work will minimize blocking the light.
• Avoid glare – Avoid installing bright fixtures near glossy surfaces. Avoid using clear glass light fixtures. It is best to shield bulbs from view with an opaque fixture or a lamp shade.
• Provide orienting information – Use nightlights and glowing switches to help orient yourself. Consider installing lighting along pathways or around doorways. Nightlights in outlets along the path are a good option. Some can be found with motion sensors that will trigger far enough away to be useful but will not stay on all night for those who are more sensitive to light.
• Provide light that complements the circadian rhythm – Use higher levels of light during the daytime and lower levels of light in the evening or at night. This will help reduce sleep disruption.

We all experience deteriorating vision as we age, but by implementing these tips, you can lessen the impact.