Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has announced it will allocate $50 million in 2026 to assist customers with overdue energy bills through its Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) and Match My Payment programs.
This year, PG&E is increasing the REACH bill credit for eligible customers who have received a disconnection notice. The maximum benefit has risen from $300 last year to $800. The Match My Payment program continues to match customer payments dollar-for-dollar, up to $1,000, for those with a past-due balance of at least $100 and payments of at least $50. Unlike REACH, this program does not require a disconnection notice for eligibility.
Customers who qualify for REACH are also prequalified for up to $1,000 in assistance through Match My Payment, allowing a combined benefit of up to $1,800 while funds are available. Eligibility is determined by 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, these two programs provided about $23 million in assistance to more than 64,000 customers.
“We receive heartfelt messages from our customers every day about how much these programs mean to them. These stories remind us of the real impact our programs have on the lives of our customers, and we are committed to continuing to make a difference,” said Vincent Davis, Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President, Customer Experience.
Both assistance programs are funded by PG&E and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The nonprofit Dollar Energy Fund processes applications on behalf of PG&E.
The company’s new commitment follows a 5% reduction in residential electric rates effective January 1, 2026. This marks the fourth rate decrease in two years. As a result, residential electric rates are now 11% lower than they were in January 2024—about $20 less per month on an average bill.
PG&E also offers other income-based support programs such as Medical Baseline for customers with specific medical needs that require electricity. More information can be found at pge.com/billhelp.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company serves over sixteen million people across Northern and Central California as part of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG). Further details are available at pge.com and pge.com/news.
