Cost guide
Panel and Electrification Rebates in Los Angeles (2026)
Market ranges and code facts reviewed .
California's HEEHRA panel and appliance rebates are fully reserved and closed to new reservations, and the federal home energy improvement tax credit ended for work installed after December 31, 2025. In 2026, the money to check is your city utility's rebate: Pasadena Water and Power offers $1,000 for a panel upgrade to 200 amps or more, with conditions, while Burbank Water and Power offers a $750 panel incentive only alongside an electrification rebate. LADWP's Consumer Rebate Program lists no panel rebate. For homeowners planning work in Los Angeles and nearby cities, VoltGen Energy recommends checking your electric utility's rules before buying equipment.
Which state and federal incentives are still available?
Do not build a new project's budget around HEEHRA or the expired federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit. Utility rebates are separate programs with their own eligibility rules.
The official TECH Clean California HEEHRA page says single-family rebates became fully reserved statewide on February 24, 2026. Multifamily rebates became fully reserved statewide on September 1, 2026. The program is no longer accepting new reservations. It covered income-qualified households and included panel upgrades and wiring, but those categories do not mean a new applicant can reserve funding now.
The IRS's Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit page says the credit applies to improvements made through December 31, 2025. Work installed in 2026 does not qualify. Some utility pages still mention the federal credit, but the IRS is the authority on its availability. Ask your tax preparer about any eligible work completed in 2025 and your 2025 return.
What rebates does your electric utility offer?
Start with the electric utility shown on your bill, not a rebate advertised for a neighboring city. LADWP serves the City of Los Angeles, including Studio City, while Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena run their own utility programs.
The comparison below draws from LADWP's Consumer Rebate Program, BWP's July 2026 electrification application, and PWP's official panel and heat pump water heater pages.
| Utility | Rebate | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|
| LADWP | Heat pump water heater: up to $2,500 per unit | ENERGY STAR equipment; amount depends on tank size and efficiency. Active residential electric meter required. New construction, additions and ADUs are not eligible. |
| LADWP | Heat pump HVAC: up to $2,500 per ton | Efficiency-based amount; minimum 15.2 SEER2 and 7.7 HSPF2. AHRI product rating record and final approved Building and Safety permit required. |
| Burbank Water and Power | Panel upgrade incentive: $750 | Cannot be claimed alone. Must accompany an electrification rebate and include the finaled panel upgrade permit. |
| Burbank Water and Power | Heat pump water heater: $1,500 | Replaces a natural gas appliance. Standard maximum per customer address, per year, per technology. |
| Burbank Water and Power | Central or mini-split heat pump: $1,000 per ton, up to $2,500 | Replaces natural gas equipment. Standard maximum per customer address, per year, per technology. |
| Burbank Water and Power | Induction cooktop: $200; electric range with induction cooktop: $500 | Replaces a natural gas appliance. These are separate equipment categories, not amounts to combine. |
| Pasadena Water and Power | Panel upgrade: $1,000; an additional $500 for eligible bill assistance participants | New panel of 200 amps or more, required dedicated circuits and qualifying installed equipment. Bill assistance enrollment must be active when applying. |
| Pasadena Water and Power | ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater: $500, plus $20 more if bought in Pasadena | New qualifying unit. Apply online with receipts within 180 days of purchase. |
Amounts from each utility's official page, last reviewed October 25, 2026. Programs change; confirm with the utility before you buy.
BWP pays higher amounts on several items to income-qualified customers; see BWP's application form. Do not assume the standard amount or an income-qualified amount is approved until the utility confirms eligibility.
Glendale Water and Power runs its own residential rebate program. We could not confirm its current amounts from GWP's official page when we reviewed this guide. Check glendaleca.gov or call GWP before buying.
When does a panel upgrade qualify for a rebate?
Pasadena and Burbank have panel incentives, but neither is an unrestricted payment for replacing an old panel.
For Pasadena Water and Power, the upgrade must include a new panel rated at 200 amps or more. Both a dedicated Level 2 EV charger circuit and a dedicated electric water heater circuit must be included, and PWP's page lists 240 V, 30 amp double-pole breakers for them. The home must also show a newly installed Level 2 EV charger or an electric water heater.
PWP accepts standard and smart panels. You need an active PWP residential account, new construction does not qualify, and the program allows one rebate per service address. The additional bill assistance incentive depends on enrollment when you apply. Replacing a panel without meeting the equipment and circuit conditions is not enough.
BWP's panel incentive must accompany an electrification rebate. Its application covers equipment replacing natural gas appliances. If a panel upgrade is needed, contact BWP Service Planning at (818) 238-3575 while planning the work. BWP's EV charger rebate has its own panel add-on; see our Burbank EV charger page.
LADWP's Consumer Rebate Program lists no electric panel upgrade rebate. Do not treat its heat pump equipment rebates as a separate reimbursement for your panel.
What permits and paperwork will you need?
Plan the paperwork before installation, because a qualifying appliance alone may not satisfy the utility's application requirements.
For an LADWP heat pump water heater, keep a paid itemized invoice showing the make and model, the manufacturer's specification sheet, and a Final Approved Building and Safety Permit. The unit must be ENERGY STAR qualified, with at least 30 gallons of capacity and a minimum 3.3 UEF. UEF is the efficiency measure used to determine the applicable rebate along with tank size.
LADWP's form asks about the pre-existing gas water heater. Confirm your replacement situation before ordering. For heat pump HVAC, the application also requires an AHRI product rating record. LADWP says its increased heat pump rebates apply to equipment purchased and installed on or after November 1, 2025.
BWP requires a photo of the capped gas line. For its panel incentive, include the finaled panel upgrade permit, not just evidence that a permit was opened. Its application directs homeowners to have an electrical contractor plan the installation and determine whether panel or circuit work is needed. Questions about the application can go to BWP at (818) 238-3700.
PWP tells applicants to obtain all required City permits for panel work. Its water heater program requires an online application with receipts within 180 days of purchase. Ask who will arrange inspections and deliver the final documents before signing the contract.
What should you ask before accepting a quote?
Ask for an electrical scope and an equipment list that match the rebate you intend to pursue. A rebate should not substitute for checking whether the house can support the new equipment.
Heat pump water heaters, induction ranges, heat pump dryers and heat pump HVAC usually need a 240 V circuit. An older panel may need a load calculation and sometimes an upgrade. Do not assume that buying an electric appliance automatically requires replacing the panel.
Before accepting a proposal, ask:
- Which exact equipment model is included, and which utility requirements does it meet?
- Does the electrical scope include a load calculation, dedicated circuits and any necessary panel work?
- Who handles permits, inspections and correction items?
- Will the final invoice identify the equipment make and model?
- Who keeps the specification sheets, receipts, required photos and final permit records?
- Is the quoted project amount separate from any rebate that remains subject to approval?
Keep the full project cost in your budget until eligibility is confirmed. Never assume that separate programs can be combined without checking their rules.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a California rebate just for replacing an old panel?
There is no open HEEHRA reservation available for a new applicant under the current program status. Pasadena and Burbank offer local panel incentives, but each ties eligibility to specific electrification conditions.
Can an LADWP customer get a heat pump water heater rebate?
LADWP offers a rebate for qualifying ENERGY STAR heat pump water heaters. The amount depends on tank size and efficiency, and the customer, property and permit requirements still apply.
Can I claim Burbank's panel incentive without buying an appliance?
BWP says the panel incentive cannot be claimed alone. Confirm the accompanying electrification rebate and required documents before scheduling the upgrade.
Does Pasadena require both an EV charger and a water heater?
PWP requires both dedicated circuits as part of the panel upgrade. Its equipment condition calls for a newly installed Level 2 EV charger or an electric water heater, not necessarily both appliances.
Can I use a federal credit for equipment installed in 2026?
The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit does not apply to work installed after December 31, 2025. Ask your tax preparer about work completed in 2025 rather than relying on older utility-page references.
Getting an estimate
VoltGen Energy serves Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Studio City and Los Angeles. We can tell you which permit and paperwork your utility asks for, but rebate approval belongs to the utility.
Review our panel upgrades, electrical panel upgrade cost guide, 240-volt circuit and subpanel cost guide, and EV charger installation pages. When you are ready, request a quote with your utility name and planned equipment.
VoltGen Energy operates under Akopi Builders, CSLB #1112420. Electrical work is performed by licensed C-10 electrical contractors.
Want a written estimate?
Call with your address and what you want done. The estimate follows a walk-through, before any work starts.