Eligible customers can receive up to $1,000 toward past-due bills
Oakland, California — Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Match My Payment program has offered nearly $30 million in matching payments to help more than 78,000 customers catch up on past-due energy bills since the program began a year ago. Funds are limited and will only be available for a short time.
The Match My Payment program, which PG&E launched last June, offers a dollar-for-dollar match, up to a maximum of $1,000, to eligible low- to moderate-income customers to pay their past-due energy bills and avoid service disconnection.
In 2026, PG&E expanded its bill payment assistance efforts by allocating $50 million to support programs such as Match My Payment and PG&E’s Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH). The REACH program offers eligible customers, based on their income, a credit of up to $800, depending on the past-due bill. Emergency assistance is available for customers with disconnection notices.
“PG&E’s Match My Payment program provides significant support to many customers whose incomes don’t typically qualify them for other forms of assistance,” said Vincent Davis, PG&E senior vice president and chief customer officer. “The strong response over the past year has been proof of the difference a dollar-for-dollar matching contribution can make for families who are behind on their energy bills.”
As of 2025, the three counties with the most applications and approved funding have been Fresno, Kern, and San Joaquin. In these three counties, PG&E has distributed more than $12.5 million in bill payment assistance.
Recipients of PG&E’s Match My Payment program can receive multiple benefits throughout the year by paying at least $50 of a past-due bill with a balance of $100 or more. Eligibility is based on federal income guidelines. For example, a family of four earning less than $132,000 per year could qualify. That is double the income limit for PG&E’s REACH program.
Funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Customers are encouraged to check their eligibility and apply before funds run out. PG&E is partnering with the nonprofit Dollar Energy Fund (DEF) to process applications.
Coordinated Support for REACH Recipients
Customers receiving grants of up to $800 from the REACH program may also qualify for up to $1,000 from the Match My Payment program, for a combined benefit of up to $1,800 or until funds are exhausted. Eligibility for the PG&E REACH program is based on federal income guidelines, which are lower than those for the PG&E Match My Payment program.
Other Assistance Programs for Eligible Incomes
Customers are also encouraged to check if they qualify for other PG&E assistance programs such as:
California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program: Offers monthly discounts of 20% or more on gas bills, and an average of around 35% or more on electricity bills (compared to customers who do not participate in the CARE program).
- Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program: Eligibility criteria offer a monthly discount of 18% on electricity bills, regardless of the number of people living in the household.
- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): A federally funded, state-administered assistance program that provides a one-time payment of up to $1,500 based on past-due bills to help low-income households pay for heating or cooling.
- Payments may vary depending on location and fund availability.
- Arrearage Management Plan (AMP): A debt forgiveness plan for eligible residential customers.
Customers may also qualify for Medical Baseline, which provides additional energy allocation at the lowest reference rate or a discount on rate plans without reference levels, and priority service disconnection notifications for those who rely on electricity for certain medical needs. Enrollment requires certification by a qualified medical professional.
For more information about PG&E assistance programs, use the free Savings Finder tool or visit pge.com/billhelp.
