Cut the bill you can control
You pay for PSE’s efficiency and assistance programs on every bill, so use them. Half of PSE customers qualify for income-based discounts or “Efficiency Boost” rebates. Below: every residential rebate with current dollar amounts, bill assistance, the new time-of-use rates, the 2026 federal tax-credit changes, and a guide to your bill’s line items.
Bill assistance you may already qualify for
One application covers Bill Discount Rate, HELP and Warm Home Fund. Usually no income proof required.
Bill Discount Rate: 5% to 45% off, every month
Six tiers based on net income, household size and county. Eligible up to 80% of area median income or 200% of the federal poverty level, whichever is higher. Example net monthly limits: 1 person $5,029–$7,071; 4 people $7,179–$10,096 (highest in King and Snohomish). Enrollment lasts 13 months. Also unlocks Past-Due Bill Forgiveness after 12 on-time payments.
Apply: PSE Bill Discount Rate ↗HELP: up to $1,000 a year
Same eligibility and application as the Bill Discount Rate. Applications are not processed Sept 1–30; HELP reopens Oct 1, 2026. Grants of $250–$1,000 are credited to your account. LIHEAP (federal, 150% of poverty) is separate and runs through local Community Action agencies; the 2026–27 program year opens around Oct 1.
PSE HELP ↗ LIHEAP ↗Budget Payment Plan & free upgrades
Any residential customer with no past-due balance can average bills over 12 months (reviewed March, June, November; true-up in June). Income-qualified households can get free weatherization through Home Weatherization Assistance, and a free in-home Home Energy Assessment is open to everyone.
Budget plan ↗ Free assessment ↗Every current PSE residential rebate
Most expire Dec 31, 2026 for this cycle; apply within 60 days of installation. “Boost” = income-qualified Efficiency Boost tier.
| Measure | Standard rebate | Efficiency Boost | Typical savings (ENERGY STAR / DOE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat pump replacing electric resistance heat (ducted or ductless) | $1,500 | $2,400; up to $4,000 gas-to-heat-pump | Ductless mini-splits use up to 60% less energy than electric resistance; space heating is the biggest electric end use in WA homes (4,254 kWh/yr) |
| Heat pump to cold-climate heat pump upgrade | $1,500 | up to $2,400 | Replacing an old HVAC system with ENERGY STAR saves ~$140/yr |
| Heat pump water heater (Tier 3/4, installed on/after Jan 1, 2026) | $1,000 | up to $1,100 | ~$550/yr for a 4-person household; ~70% less energy than a standard electric tank |
| Smart thermostat (ENERGY STAR, Wi-Fi) | $75 | up to $175 | ~8% of heating and cooling, ~$50/yr average, ~$100 in high-use homes |
| Attic insulation, R11 or less → R49 | $1.75/sq ft (max $3,500) | higher | Air sealing plus insulation cuts heating and cooling about 15% (~11% of total energy) |
| Attic insulation, R12–R19 → R49 | $0.50/sq ft (max $1,000) | higher | |
| Wall or floor insulation | $2.50/sq ft (max $5,000 each) | higher | |
| Air sealing (attic or floor) | $0.20/sq ft (max $400) | higher | |
| Duct sealing / sealing + insulation / advanced | up to $550 / $1,000 / $1,250 | — | Sealed ducts improve system efficiency up to 20% |
| Windows (U-factor ≤ 0.30, installed by Dec 31, 2026) | per sq ft (see form) | — | Varies |
| Level 2 home EV charger | up to $300 | up to $600 + install help | Pair with time-of-use or Flex EV for 50¢/kWh shifted |
| Home Energy Assessment (in-home walkthrough) | Free | Free | Identifies the measures above for your house |
Amounts from PSE rebate pages as of Sept 2026. PSE’s “Go Electric” fuel-switching pilot rebates ended July 31, 2024. Check the Efficiency Boost income table for your county. Sources: PSE rebates hub, ENERGY STAR.
What the biggest measures pay back
Illustrative annual savings, ENERGY STAR figures (household of four for the water heater)
Time-of-use rates and PSE Flex
Time-of-use (Schedules 307 & 327)
307: winter (Oct–Mar) weekday peaks 7–10 am and 5–8 pm; summer weekday peak 5–8 pm; weekends and holidays all off-peak. 327 “super off-peak”: year-round weekday peaks 7–10 am and 5–8 pm, super off-peak 11 pm–7 am. No minimum term, but a 12-month wait to rejoin if you leave; no bill guarantee. Not available with net metering or Flex Batteries. Good fit: EV owners, heat-pump water heaters on timers, households out during the day.
PSE time-of-use ↗PSE Flex
Flex Rewards: $25 to enroll, $1 per kWh saved during events, $15/yr. Flex Smart (thermostat): up to $50 per device to enroll, up to $40/device/yr. Flex EV: $50 to enroll, 50¢/kWh shifted. Flex Water Heaters: $20 + $20/yr. Flex Batteries: $75 per kWh of storage (max $1,000) plus 50¢/kWh per event. Events run 2–4 hours between 7 am and 10 pm. Demand response set a record above 80 MW on Feb 12, 2025.
PSE Flex ↗Peak Time Savings
If you have a smart meter and aren’t in Flex, you’re auto-enrolled: 50¢ per kWh you use below your baseline during up to five events per season (winter Nov 1–Mar 31, summer May 1–Sept 30), weekdays only. Nothing to sign up for; watch for event alerts.
Peak Time Savings ↗The federal credits are mostly gone. State rebates are live.
Public Law 119-21 (July 4, 2025) ended the 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement credit and the 25D Residential Clean Energy (solar, battery) credit for equipment placed in service after Dec 31, 2025, and ends the 30C EV-charger credit after June 30, 2026. What controls is the installation date, not the contract date.
Washington Commerce’s state-funded Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) awarded $39.3 million to 40 local administrators (Seattle $1.6M, Tacoma $637K) for households at or below 150% of area median income, covering heat pumps, heat-pump water heaters, induction ranges, heat-pump dryers and electrical upgrades, with another ~$30 million expected in 2026. The federal IRA HOMES/HEAR rebates had not launched statewide as of August 2026. Contact: [email protected].
WA HEAR rebates ↗- Basic charge
- Fixed monthly cost of the meter and billing: $7.49 electric, $14.00 gas. Doesn’t change with use.
- Energy charge
- Per kWh or therm. Electric has two blocks: the first 600 kWh at a lower rate, the rest higher. Includes both the power and the wires.
- Power cost adjustment
- Passes through swings in wholesale power and gas prices. The Jan 2026 tracker alone was +$28/month before offsets.
- Electric conservation charge
- Funds the rebates above. You pay it either way.
- Low-income program charge
- Funds Bill Discount Rate and HELP.
- CCA Customer Charge (gas)
- Since June 6, 2026 the UTC requires Climate Commitment Act carbon costs to appear as a separate line on gas bills; on electric bills they are embedded in the energy and power-cost lines.
- Taxes
- State utility tax plus a city utility tax that varies by municipality (often 6%).
Ten things to do before the heating season
- Apply for the Bill Discount Rate even if you think you don’t qualify: the limits reach $7,000+ net monthly income for a single person in King County.
- Mark Oct 1 to file for HELP and LIHEAP the day they reopen; funds run out.
- Book the free Home Energy Assessment so rebates are matched to your house.
- If you heat with baseboards or a furnace older than 15 years, price a heat pump with the $1,500–$4,000 rebate; it is the single biggest lever.
- Replace an electric tank water heater with a heat pump model ($1,000 rebate, ~$550/yr savings for a family).
- Seal and insulate the attic before anything fancier; the rebate covers most of the material cost.
- Enroll in Flex Smart if you have a smart thermostat, or Flex EV if you charge at home.
- Consider Schedule 327 if most of your use can move to 11 pm–7 am.
- Switch to Budget Payment to flatten the January spike.
- Then go tell the UTC what you think on Sept 29 or Oct 7. See Take action.