Eligible customers may receive up to $1,800 in combined bill credits through the REACH and Match My Payment programs
Oakland, California. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will allocate $50 million in 2026 to help customers pay past-due energy bills through its Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) and Match My Payment programs.
PG&E is expanding REACH benefits this year. Eligible customers who have received a disconnection notice may receive a bill credit of up to $800, an increase of up to $300 from last year.
The Match My Payment program matches eligible customer payments dollar for dollar, up to $1,000. Payments must be at least $50 for past-due balances of $100 or more. Customers may receive multiple matches throughout the year. A disconnection notice is not required to qualify.
REACH recipients are also prequalified to receive up to $1,000 in additional assistance through Match My Payment, for a combined benefit of up to $1,800, while funds are available.
Eligibility for both programs is based on federal income guidelines. For example, a family of four earning less than $128,600 may qualify for the Match My Payment program, which has higher income limits than REACH.
In 2025, the two programs provided approximately $23 million in assistance to more than 64,000 customers.
“Every day, we receive heartfelt messages from customers about how much these programs mean to them. These stories remind us of the real impact our programs have on our customers’ lives, and we remain committed to continuing to make a difference,” said Vincent Davis, PG&E’s Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President of Customer Experience.
Both programs are funded by PG&E and provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The company partners with the nonprofit Dollar Energy Fund (DEF) to process customer applications.
Price stabilization
PG&E’s $50 million commitment follows a 5% reduction in residential electricity rates that took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, for customers who receive both energy supply and delivery from PG&E. This marks the fourth electricity rate decrease in two years, reinforcing the company’s pledge to stabilize energy costs for customers.
PG&E’s residential electricity rates are now 11% lower than in January 2024 — about $20 less on a typical monthly residential bill.
Other assistance programs for income-eligible customers
PG&E offers several additional programs to help income-qualified customers pay their energy bills:
- CARE (California Alternate Rates for Energy): Provides a monthly discount of 20% or more on gas bills and an average discount of about 38% on electricity bills compared with non-CARE customers.
- FERA (Family Electric Rate Assistance): Offers an 18% monthly discount on electricity bills, regardless of household size.
- LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program): A federally funded, state-administered program that provides a one-time payment of up to $1,500 toward past-due bills to help low-income households pay for home heating or cooling.
- AMP (Arrearage Management Plan): A debt-forgiveness plan for eligible residential customers.
- ESA (Energy Savings Assistance): Provides no-cost energy-efficiency improvements.
Other programs include Medical Baseline, which offers bill reductions for customers who depend on energy for certain medical needs. For more information, visit pge.com/billhelp.
Additional assistance available
PG&E also offers several ways to save energy and lower monthly bills. Customers are encouraged to:
- Sign up for a free personal energy advisor consultation through the HomeIntel program.
- Enroll in the Budget Billing
- Get personalized recommendations for financial assistance, bill management programs and other resources through the online Savings Finder
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles of Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.
