Memphis MLGW Bill Help 2026–27: Plus1, LIHEAP, On Track and PowerPay, What's Open Now
The programs that help with MLGW bills changed a lot in 2025 and 2026. Plus1 applications now go through MLGW My Account. Share the Pennies moved to TVA's Home Uplift in May 2026. And Shelby County's LIHEAP applications are online only. The Shelby County Community Services Agency (CSA) utility page also carried a notice, when we checked, that utility assistance "is not offered at this time."
If you've been sent to an office that no longer takes applications, this guide sorts out who does what now, what to bring, and which option fits a cutoff notice versus an old balance.
Last checked October 2026. Facts come from MLGW's On Track and PowerPay pages, the MLGW Power of Giving / Plus1 page, MLGW's May 2026 Share the Pennies announcement, the FY 2026 LIHEAP required-documents list posted by MLGW, and the Shelby County CSA utility assistance and LIHEAP income pages.
Quick Match: Your Situation and Your Best Option
Active cutoff notice, need help this month: Plus1 (through MLGW My Account or the app). Also check whether Shelby County LIHEAP Crisis Assistance has reopened.
Bill over $600, steady but low income: On Track, a deferred plan of up to three years.
Smaller balance, want to pay as you go: PowerPay, which offers five-day extensions and no reconnection fee.
High bills because the house leaks heat: Share the Pennies / TVA Home Uplift weatherization.
Plus1 Utility Assistance (Run by MLGW)
Plus1 is funded by MLGW customers who add $1 to their bills. It's now hosted through MLGW's Power of Giving Fund at the Community Foundation.
How to apply: Only through MLGW My Account online or the MLGW app. If you can't use either, schedule an appointment at an MLGW Community Office by calling 901-544-6549 or at mlgw.com/qless.
What MLGW asks for:
A list of everyone living in the household, including children under 18
A birth certificate or other ID for each child 17 and under
Valid government-issued ID for everyone over 18
Income information for everyone with income, such as the two most recent pay stubs, or an unemployment, Social Security, child support or SNAP award letter
Your most recent cutoff notice
An active utility account
ID for the applicant that matches the name on the account
Limits to know:
You can be approved once per calendar year (January 1 to December 31).
Funds are limited. Being eligible doesn't guarantee payment.
Caseworker tip: The ID has to match the account name. If the account is in someone else's name, such as a former partner or a relative who moved out, deal with that before you apply. Otherwise the application can stall.
LIHEAP Through Shelby County CSA
In Shelby County, LIHEAP is handled by the Shelby County Community Services Agency (CSA) through the state's online system (thda.smartsimple.us).
Status check first. When we checked in October 2026, the CSA utility assistance page said: "Utility Assistance is not offered at this time. Please continue to check our website for updates." Check shelbycountycsa.org before you gather documents, and check back often.
When applications are open, here's what the CSA says about the process:
Online only.
Your password must be 20 characters.
Allow up to 45 days for processing and up to 90 days for payment to reach your MLGW account.
If information is missing, you'll get an email and have 15 days to respond, or the application is denied automatically.
Resubmitting restarts the processing clock. Duplicate applications slow things down. Get it right the first time.
Eligible applications go into a priority queue based on age, young children, disability and veteran status.
Check your spam folder for emails.
LIHEAP income limits (as posted by Shelby County CSA)
Annual household income:
1 person: $32,053
2 people: $41,915
3 people: $51,778
4 people: $61,641
5 people: $71,503
6 people: $81,336
7 people: $83,215
8 people: $85,064.58
Each additional person: add $1,848.42
The FY 2026 document list (posted on MLGW's site)
An email address
You must be the MLGW account holder on an active account, or have proof of residency in the household
Unexpired ID for the applicant
Social Security cards for all household members. For children 1 year and under, a birth certificate is accepted. Cards marked "Valid for Work" are not accepted.
Your current MLGW bill
Proof of income covering the last 30 days for everyone with income
Proof of disability: SSI/SSA/SSDI letters dated 2026
For anyone 18 or older in high school or college who has a job: a report card or class schedule
For veterans: military ID or DD214
For MHA voucher holders: a current tenant voucher certification letter
A Verification of Zero Income and Expenses form for every adult with no income
If self-employed: a Self Employment Verification Form
If utilities are in your landlord's name: your lease and a Landlord Tenant Agreement Form completed by the landlord
Forms are in the CSA's LIHEAP Document Center.
Crisis assistance with a cutoff notice
A cutoff notice alone doesn't qualify you. You need a cutoff notice on an active account plus at least one of these:
medical equipment that needs utilities to provide life support, with a physician's order
a disability
a senior in the household
children 5 and under
veteran status (above dishonorable)
an unexpected loss, such as losing a job after at least 12 months of work, a wage earner leaving the home, a wage earner's death, a recent medical bill bigger than the utility bill, or reduced work hours (with the documents the list specifies)
On Track: Pay an Old Balance Over Up to Three Years
On Track is MLGW's program for residential customers with limited incomes who need to work down a large balance.
What you get:
One-on-one help from an MLGW service advisor
Deferred billing plans of up to three years
Your deposit credited back to the account after you complete the program
Budgeting and energy-saving information, plus social services referrals
Who qualifies:
A utility bill over $600
Only one active account
Steady income at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines
Who doesn't:
Anyone who graduated from or was removed from On Track in the past three years
Anyone who filed bankruptcy in the past six years
Anyone enrolled in MLGW's Life Support program or on a Life Support payment plan
Anyone enrolled in PrePay
Apply: online, through My Account ("My Application for On Track"), or with a paper application. Phone: (901) 528-4820. Email: mlgwontrack@mlgw.org. Address: 220 South Main St., Memphis, TN 38103.
PowerPay: Prepaid Service With Built-In Breathing Room
PowerPay is MLGW's voluntary prepaid option. You put money on the account when you choose, and usage draws it down.
What helps:
Five-day extensions. Call MLGW for one, even after you've been disconnected. Service is restored and you get five days. Pay for those five days and you're eligible for another extension.
No reconnection fee for PowerPay customers.
Same-day restoration if your payment reaches MLGW by 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The payment has to cover what you owe plus a $5 credit balance.
Debt Assist. An existing balance is set aside, and 25% of each new payment goes toward it while 75% funds your service.
What to watch:
Any amount owed over $600 must be paid before you can enroll.
Service can be disconnected as soon as one business day after your balance hits zero.
Budget Billing and AutoPay are canceled when you switch to PowerPay.
You need email, plus text or phone alerts.
PowerPay works for people who get paid weekly or irregularly. It can be risky if your income has gaps of more than a few days.
Share the Pennies Is Now Part of TVA Home Uplift
As of May 5, 2026, Share the Pennies funds are combined with TVA's Home Uplift weatherization program. TVA now runs the program, not MIFA. MLGW says Share the Pennies has weatherized 1,470 homes since 2018.
MLGW opened Share the Pennies applications on May 5 and 6, 2026. To check for the next window, go to mlgw.com/sharethepennies or call 1-833-698-7543.
FAQ
Does MIFA still run Plus1 or Share the Pennies? Plus1 applications now go only through MLGW My Account or the MLGW app. Share the Pennies has been run by TVA, with Home Uplift, since May 5, 2026.
Can I apply for LIHEAP at MLGW's downtown office? The CSA says applications are accepted online only. When we checked in October 2026, its utility assistance page said utility assistance wasn't being offered. Check shelbycountycsa.org for updates.
How many times can I get Plus1? Once per calendar year, if funds are available.
What if I have no internet? For Plus1, call 901-544-6549 to schedule a Community Office appointment. For LIHEAP, ask the CSA how to get help with the online application.
My balance is $1,200. What's best? Look at On Track. It's built for bills over $600 and spreads repayment over up to three years if you meet the income rule. PowerPay requires you to pay anything over $600 before enrolling.
Can someone who rents get LIHEAP if utilities are in the landlord's name? The document list says yes, with your lease and a Landlord Tenant Agreement Form completed by the landlord.
Related Guides
Sources
MLGW, On Track: https://www.mlgw.com/residential/ontrack
MLGW PowerPay: https://mlgw-powerpay.myusage.com/
MLGW Power of Giving / Plus1: http://www.mlgwpowerofgiving.net/
MLGW, Share the Pennies joins TVA Home Uplift: https://www.mlgw.com/news/news_426stphomeuplift
FY 2026 LIHEAP required documents (MLGW): https://www.mlgw.com/images/content/files/pdf/new/2026LIHEAP_.pdf
Shelby County CSA, Utility Assistance: https://shelbycountycsa.org/utility-assistance/
Shelby County CSA, LIHEAP Income: https://shelbycountycsa.org/liheap-income/
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