Washington and Oregon rebates for electrical upgrades: heat pumps, EV chargers, panels, and more

Utilities and state agencies in our area pay real money to help homeowners switch to efficient electric equipment, like heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and EV chargers. Some programs also help pay for the panel or service upgrade that equipment can need. The catch is that every program has its own rules, and missing one can cost you the whole rebate.

This guide lists the programs we found for homes in Southwest Washington and Oregon, with links to each official page. We checked every program on October 9, 2026. Programs change often and funding runs out, so always confirm the current amount and your eligibility on the program page before you buy anything or sign a contract.

First, the federal tax credits have ended

Many articles online still talk about federal tax credits for heat pumps and EV chargers. Under the 2025 federal tax law, those credits have ended:

• Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C). This covered heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, panel upgrades, insulation, and similar work. The IRS says it is not allowed for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. IRS FAQ
• EV charger credit (30C, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit). The IRS says it is not allowed for charging equipment placed in service after June 30, 2026. IRS 30C page

If your equipment was installed before those dates, you may still be able to claim it on the return for that year. Tax rules depend on your situation, so check with a tax professional. Today, the money for upgrades in our area comes mainly from utility and state rebates.

How rebates usually work (and how people lose them)

• Find your utility first. Most rebates come from the company on your electric bill, so your address decides which programs you can use. A Vancouver home and a Portland home have completely different options.
• Some programs require approval before work starts. Washington’s income-qualified HEAR rebates and the coming federal home energy rebates are not retroactive, and Cowlitz PUD’s weatherization rebates need written pre-authorization. If you start first, you may get nothing.
• Many require a listed or licensed contractor. Heat pump rebates often require a contractor from the utility’s own network. EV charger rebates from PGE and Pacific Power require a licensed electrician.
• Equipment has to be on the list. Programs name the exact ratings or product lists that qualify, such as ENERGY STAR, a utility’s qualified products list, or a minimum efficiency rating. Check the model number before you buy.
• Deadlines are short. Some programs want your application within 60 or 90 days of purchase or installation.
• Paperwork matters. Expect to send itemized receipts, an installation invoice, photos, model and serial numbers, and sometimes the electrical permit or the electrician’s license number.

Southwest Washington: Clark Public Utilities

If you live in Clark County, your electricity most likely comes from Clark Public Utilities. Its rebates and incentives page lists everything in one place. As of our check:

• Heat pumps (ducted). $500 to $1,250 for homes heated with electricity today, depending on the system you have and the heat pump you install. It must be installed by a contractor in the utility’s Contractor Network. Heat Pump Program
• Ductless heat pumps. $900 for homes heated by baseboards, wall heaters, ceiling cable heat, or an electric furnace. Limit one per home, installed by a contractor licensed in Washington. Ductless Heat Pump Program
• Heat pump water heaters. $1,500 for a qualifying unit replacing an electric tank water heater. The unit must be on the program’s qualified list, and local permit rules apply. Heat Pump Water Heater Program
• Level 2 EV chargers. For Clark Public Utilities customers only, on new chargers (used or resold chargers don’t qualify):
  • $500 for the purchase and installation of a Level 2 charger that is ENERGY STAR rated and “connected” (Wi-Fi enabled), from the utility’s Level II Charger Qualified Products List. If the charger costs less than $500, the rebate is capped at its purchase price (sales tax not included) plus installation costs, so keep your installation receipt.
  • $100 for any other new Level 2 charger (it doesn’t need to be ENERGY STAR or connected; self-built chargers don’t qualify), or for a mobile connector plugged into a 240-volt outlet.
  • Limits. Up to two EV charger rebates per household. A household that has already received two Level 2 charger rebates can still get one mobile connector rebate.
  • How to apply. Email the utility’s rebate form and a copy of your charger purchase receipt to rebates@clarkpud.com within two years of the purchase date.
  • Permits. The utility notes that most Level 2 charger installs need an electrical permit. We pull it as part of the job.
  Electric Vehicle Program

Clark Public Utilities also lists smart thermostat, weatherization, and income-qualified insulation rebates on the same page.

Southwest Washington: Cowlitz PUD

In Cowlitz County, Cowlitz PUD keeps its rebates on its residential efficiency programs site. As of our check:

• Ducted heat pumps. $600 to $1,500, depending on your current heat and the heat pump type, installed by a PUD Qualified Heat Pump Contractor.
• Ductless heat pumps. $900 when replacing electric zonal heat or an electric furnace, installed by a Comfort Ready Home contractor. The PUD’s rules call for the unit to be on its own dedicated circuit.
• Heat pump water heaters. $1,400 for a qualifying unit replacing an electric tank, or $2,200 for a split system. Apply within 90 days of purchase.
• Weatherization. Window, door, and insulation rebates require a PUD energy audit and written pre-authorization before the work starts.

Washington income-qualified programs (HEAR)

Washington’s Department of Commerce funds a state Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) program through local administrators. It is for low- and moderate-income households (generally at or below 150% of area median income, and some administrators use lower limits), including renters. Eligible items can include heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction cooking, heat pump dryers, and the panel and wiring upgrades needed to install them. In our area:

• City of Vancouver. The Northwest Native Chamber runs the city’s program for qualifying homes within Vancouver city limits. It lists heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric service and panel upgrades, and wiring. Upgrades must be recommended through the program, and existing projects don’t qualify. Vancouver HEAR program
• Cowlitz PUD. An income-eligible HEAR program for heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, running through June 30, 2027 while funding lasts. Cowlitz PUD HEAR

The separate federal home energy rebate programs in Washington (HOMES and HARP) have not launched. Commerce says it is still reviewing federal program changes and that rebates won’t be retroactive. Washington IRA Home Energy Rebates

Oregon: Energy Trust of Oregon (PGE and Pacific Power customers)

In the Portland metro area and the rest of Oregon served by PGE or Pacific Power, heat pump and water heater incentives mostly come through Energy Trust of Oregon. (In Southwest Washington, Energy Trust only serves NW Natural gas customers, so Clark and Cowlitz County homes use their PUD’s electric rebates instead.) As of our check:

• Heat pumps. $1,000 for an owner-occupied single-family or manufactured home replacing an electric forced-air furnace, with higher amounts for some rentals, attached homes, and income-qualified households. Applications are due within 60 days of installation and must be signed by the installing contractor. Heating Solutions
• Ductless heat pumps. $800 for an owner-occupied single-family or manufactured home replacing electric resistance heat in the main living space. Heating Solutions
• Heat pump water heaters. $1,200 off when a licensed contractor buys the unit through a participating distributor, or $1,000 off when you buy one in person at a participating store. Both are instant discounts only. There is no application afterward, so if the discount isn’t taken at purchase, it’s gone. Water Heater

Oregon: EV charger and panel rebates from your utility

• PGE Smart Charging program. PGE customers who own or lease an EV or plug-in hybrid and enroll in Smart Charging can get a charger installation rebate of up to $300 (up to $1,000 if income-eligible). PGE also offers an Electrical Service Upgrade rebate of up to $1,000 (up to $5,000 if income-eligible) when a panel under 200 amps can’t handle a Level 2 charger. That upgrade must be done by a licensed electrician to at least 200 amps, receipts must show the electrician’s license number, and it only comes paired with the charger rebate. Chargers on PGE’s qualified list must be hardwired by a licensed electrician. PGE Smart Charging
• Pacific Power (Oregon). For income-qualified Oregon residential customers: up to $1,500 for a hardwired Level 2 charger, or up to $500 for a 240-volt outlet for EV charging. Equipment must be bought on or after January 1, 2026 and installed by a licensed electrician, and the application asks for the installation invoice, a photo, and permits if they apply. Pacific Power home charger rebates

Oregon state programs: what’s open and what isn’t

• Oregon Home Energy Rebates (HOMES and HEAR): not open yet. The Oregon Department of Energy says no rebates are available yet and launch depends on federal approval. Contractor enrollment opens October 12, 2026. Energy Trust will handle PGE and Pacific Power areas. Oregon Home Energy Rebate Programs
• Community Heat Pump Deployment Program: depends on your county. Funding for the Portland metro region (Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties) is fully reserved and not taking applications. When we checked, the North Coast region (Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook Counties) and North Central region were still accepting applications. This program can also include a grant toward upgrades such as a new electrical panel. Community Heat Pump Deployment Program
• Oregon Rental Home Heat Pump Program: closed to new applications except for funding set aside for members of certain Tribes. Rental Home Heat Pump Program
• Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate: open for a short window. This rebate is for the car, not the charger. It covers eligible EVs bought or leased August 25 through November 4, 2026, with a waitlist if funds run out. Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program

The electrical side: will your panel handle it?

A heat pump, a heat pump water heater, and an EV charger each need their own circuit, and together they add real load to your home’s electrical service. Before you count on a rebate, it helps to know whether your panel has the room and the capacity.

• Sometimes a new circuit is all it takes. If the panel has space and the load calculation works out, the job is a dedicated circuit and a permit.
• Sometimes load management is the smarter fix. A load management device can let a charger or other big load share capacity without a full service upgrade. Our guide to panel load management explains how that works.
• Sometimes the panel needs to be replaced. Older or full 100-amp panels often need an upgrade, and PGE’s Electrical Service Upgrade rebate is built for exactly that case. See our guide to panel change-outs.
• EV chargers have their own details, like placement, hardwired vs. plug-in, and ground-fault protection. Our EV charger hookup guide covers them.

Heat pumps and heat pump water heaters are usually installed by HVAC or plumbing contractors, and the program’s contractor rules apply to them. The electrical work is usually a separate piece of the project. Plan it early so it doesn’t hold up the install or your rebate deadline.

How Cascadia Power can help

Rebate rules are set by each program, and we can’t promise any program will approve your rebate. Check with the program to see whether it requires a contractor from its own list. What we can do:

• Look at your panel and service and tell you plainly whether you need a new circuit, load management, or a panel upgrade.
• Pull the electrical permit and get it inspected, since many programs ask for proof of permitted work.
• Give you an itemized invoice showing the work, the equipment, and our electrical contractor license number, which is the kind of paperwork rebate programs usually ask for.
• Send photos of the finished install if your program needs them.

On-site estimates for upgrade work are free. If you decide to go ahead, a 50% deposit when you sign gets your job on the schedule.

What to send us before a visit

1. A clear photo of your open panel, showing the breakers and the main breaker size.
2. The equipment you’re planning, such as the heat pump, water heater, or charger model, or a link to it.
3. Your electric utility, so we know which program rules apply.
4. The rebate program you’re applying to, and any paperwork it says your electrician needs to provide.

Serving Southwest Washington and Oregon

Cascadia Power is a licensed, bonded, and insured electrical contractor based in Ridgefield, Washington. We help homeowners across Southwest Washington and Oregon, including the Portland metro area, get the electrical side of heat pump, water heater, EV charger, and panel projects done right and documented.

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