If you’re a PGE customer, you may be able to receive ongoing, monthly help with your PGE bill that’s in addition to any other assistance you may be getting from them or other agencies. Eligibility is based on annual household income and household size, with a discount that could be between 15 and 25 percent.
No financial documentation is required, just the size of your household and the average gross income for all members of your household 18 years and older combined. If you’ve received energy assistance in the past, it’s likely that you qualify.
To calculate annual household income (for hourly workers), take your hourly wage and multiply that by the average hours worked per week. Then multiply that number by 52 (the number of weeks in a year) to get your annual gross income (the amount before taxes). If household income changes from month to month, take your combined income from last month and multiply it by 12 to come up with your average gross annual household income.
If you qualify to receive the Income-Qualified Bill discount, it will not impact your ability to receive energy assistance. The programs are separate and receiving energy assistance does not impact your ability to enroll in PGE’s bill discount. Once enrolled in the discount program, you can still apply for and receive energy assistance.
It may take 30 days for applications to be processed. Once approved, you’ll receive a notification email or letter to confirm your enrollment and the percentage of discount you’ll receive. Annually you may be asked to provide proof of household size and income to ensure ongoing eligibility. The monthly discount will last for two years, after which time you will need to re-enroll.
Applications, as well as household and income guidelines, can be found at bit.ly/PGE-IQBDP. For additional assistance or questions, call 503.228.6322.