If Con Edison delivers your power in Westchester County, rooftop solar works a little differently here than it does for Con Edison’s New York City customers, and the differences matter for your payback. Westchester is a separate, suburban rate zone with bigger single-family roofs and bigger bills, your exports are credited through New York’s Phase One net metering rather than a flat one-for-one deal, and while the federal tax credit ended for 2026 buyers, New York’s own state credit did not. This page covers the Con Edison Westchester rate, how its net metering and the monthly solar charge work, what is left of NY-Sun, how you connect, and how to tell whether your roof is a good fit, with every figure sourced and dated.
- Con Edison Westchester is a distinct suburban rate zone, not the same as Con Edison’s New York City territory, and Con Edison models a typical Westchester home at about 425 kWh a month versus about 280 in the city (Con Edison rates, as of 2026).
- New York residential power averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and a Westchester Con Edison bill runs higher, roughly 33 to 38 cents per kWh all-in by a 2026 local estimate (Westchester Home Energy, as of 2026).
- Con Edison won its first electric rate increase in about a decade, a joint proposal that raises electric rates about 4.3%, then 5.0%, then 3.3% across 2026 through 2028 (Westchester County, as of 2026), so the bill solar offsets is rising.
- A standard Con Edison home is credited through Phase One net metering, which nets your exports at the retail rate and rolls leftover credits forward month to month and year to year, with no annual cash-out (Con Edison distributed-generation tariffs, as of 2026).
- New York’s state credit is 25% of system cost, capped at $5,000, and it is separate from the federal credit that ended (NY Dept. of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026).
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of 2026), so a 2026 cash or loan buyer cannot claim it, but New York’s own benefits still apply.
Is Con Edison your utility in Westchester?
Con Edison delivers electricity across most of Westchester County, and its Westchester operation is a separate rate zone from its New York City one. That distinction matters: Westchester homes are mostly single-family and use more power than a typical city apartment, which is why Con Edison models a Westchester home at roughly 425 kWh a month against about 280 in the city (Con Edison rates, as of 2026). A few northern Westchester towns are served by NYSEG rather than Con Edison, so confirm the utility name on your bill first. If you are a Con Edison customer, your residential service is the SC 1 rate class, your net metering and interconnection run through Con Edison, and the rules on this page apply.
| Detail | Con Edison Westchester |
|---|---|
| Service area | Most of Westchester County, New York (a few northern towns are on NYSEG) |
| Rate zone | A suburban zone, separate from Con Edison’s New York City territory |
| Residential rate class | SC 1 (residential) |
| Typical usage Con Edison models | About 425 kWh per month, versus about 280 in New York City (Con Edison) |
| Default solar crediting | Phase One net metering, retail-rate monthly netting, 20-year term |
| New York solar charge | A monthly Customer Benefit Contribution, billed per kW of installed solar |
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What you pay: the Con Edison Westchester rate
New York power is expensive and Westchester is on the high end, which is the core reason rooftop solar pays here. New York residential electricity averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and a Con Edison Westchester bill runs higher than the state average once supply, delivery, and taxes are added together, in the range of 33 to 38 cents per kWh by a 2026 local estimate (Westchester Home Energy, as of 2026). Con Edison just won its first electric rate increase in about a decade, a joint proposal raising electric rates roughly 4.3%, then 5.0%, then 3.3% across 2026 through 2028 (Westchester County, as of 2026), so the bill your roof offsets is going up, not down.
| Part of your Con Edison bill | What it is | Can solar help? |
|---|---|---|
| Supply | The price of the electricity itself; the only part you can shop (an ESCO or a community-choice program) | Yes, your panels reduce what you buy |
| Delivery | Con Edison’s charge to move power to your home; the bulk of a Westchester bill | Yes, net metering credits offset delivery on your exports |
| Fixed customer charge | The SC 1 charge you pay even at zero usage | No, you pay it even with solar |
| Taxes and surcharges | State and local add-ons | Indirectly, as your usage falls |
Source: Con Edison, about our rates (as of 2026). Con Edison does not publish a single tidy cents-per-kWh number, because supply floats month to month, so the honest way to see the rate your solar offsets is to divide the total on your own Con Edison bill by the kWh you used. Your production is what turns that rate into savings. A Westchester roof makes far more power in June than in December, and the exact yearly figure depends on your roof’s pitch, orientation, and shade, so estimate yours with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator rather than a generic number, then have an installer confirm it with a site model.
How Con Edison credits your rooftop solar
A standard Con Edison home is credited through Phase One net metering, not the Value Stack, and it is close to a one-for-one deal. When your panels send power to the grid, Con Edison nets it against the power you use at the retail rate, and any leftover credit rolls forward, both month to month and year to year, with no annual cash-out that pays you a lower wholesale price (Con Edison distributed-generation tariffs; EnergySage, Con Edison net metering, as of 2026). A residential system interconnected after January 1, 2022 is locked into the current net-metering terms for a 20-year term, after which whatever billing structure is then in effect applies. For a plain-English primer on how export credits work in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
| Crediting option | How you are paid | Who it tends to suit |
|---|---|---|
| Phase One net metering (default) | Exports netted at the retail rate; leftover credits roll forward month to month and year to year, 20-year term | Most homes, where retail-rate netting beats the Value Stack (Con Edison) |
| VDER Value Stack (opt-in) | Monetary credits from the wholesale energy price plus grid-value components, usually less than retail | Larger or community projects, and homeowners who model it and choose it (Con Edison solar PV guide) |
New York incentives a Con Edison Westchester customer can stack
New York’s own incentives survived the federal change, and they stack on top of net metering. For the statewide picture, see our New York solar incentives hub, and our guide to solar incentives for how these fit together. The headline is the state tax credit: New York still offers 25% of your system cost, capped at $5,000, claimed on Form IT-255, and it applies whether you buy with cash, a loan, a lease, or a PPA (NY Dept. of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026).
| Incentive | What it gives you | The Westchester detail |
|---|---|---|
| Net metering | Retail-rate monthly netting, credits roll forward, 20-year term (Con Edison) | A monthly Customer Benefit Contribution applies and is not offset by credits |
| New York State credit | 25% of system cost, up to $5,000, on Form IT-255 (NY Tax and Finance) | Non-refundable, with a multi-year carryforward; New York kept it for 2026 |
| State sales-tax exemption | No state sales tax on residential solar equipment (NY Tax and Finance) | Many localities also waive the local portion |
| Property-tax exemption (RPTL 487) | The added home value from solar is exempt for 15 years (NY RPTL 487) | Local option: confirm your Westchester town has not opted out |
| NY-Sun rebate | A declining dollar-per-watt rebate, where still open (NYSERDA dashboard) | The standard residential block has closed in the Con Edison region |
Rooftop solar versus community solar in Westchester
Several of the Con Edison Westchester solar results people find are about community solar, which is different from owning panels, so it helps to separate them. Community solar, which New York calls community distributed generation, is a paid subscription to a share of an off-site array, delivered as a credit on your Con Edison bill rather than panels on your roof (Sustainable Westchester community solar, as of 2026). It earns no net metering of your own and lets no one claim the state tax credit, because you do not own a system. Rooftop solar that you own is the path that earns net metering and lets you claim New York’s 25% state credit.
| Question | Rooftop solar you own | Community solar |
|---|---|---|
| Panels on your roof | Yes, your system | No, an off-site shared array |
| Up-front cost | Cash, a loan, or a $0-up-front lease or PPA where you qualify | None; it is a subscription |
| Net metering | Yes, Phase One net metering on your bill | No, you receive a community-solar bill credit |
| New York State credit | Yes, the owner can claim the 25% state credit | No, you do not own a system |
| Best for | A sunny, structurally sound roof you plan to keep | Renters, shaded roofs, or anyone who cannot install |
If a sunny roof is not an option, community solar is a fair alternative to compare, but only rooftop ownership captures both net metering and the state credit.
How to connect solar to Con Edison in Westchester
Connecting a home system follows New York’s Standardized Interconnection Requirements, administered by Con Edison, and you cannot turn the system on until Con Edison issues Permission to Operate (Con Edison solar PV guide, as of 2026). The general path is:
- Interconnection application. Your installer files the application with Con Edison under New York’s Standardized Interconnection Requirements, with the system design and inverter details. The streamlined small-system process covers residential rooftop, which is well under the size thresholds.
- Review and conditional approval. Con Edison reviews the package against its standards and issues conditional approval; the application details must match the account holder.
- Install and inspect. A licensed contractor installs the system and it passes your local electrical inspection.
- Meter and Permission to Operate. Con Edison sets a net meter that counts power in and power out, then issues Permission to Operate, and the system may not run in parallel with the grid before that.
A licensed installer normally manages this whole process, including your net-metering enrollment, but knowing the order helps you spot a quote that promises an instant switch-on. For what to ask before you sign, compare quotes that show the Customer Benefit Contribution and your bill after solar, not a zero-bill promise.
What changed federally, and what New York still offers
The federal homeowner credit is gone, but New York’s own programs are not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a Con Edison customer who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim the federal credit (IRS, as of 2026). Some New York solar pages still imply a live 30% federal credit in 2026; that is out of date, so do not budget around it. For the full timeline, see what the end of the federal solar tax credit means in 2026. New York’s own benefits were not affected: the state credit of 25% up to $5,000, the sales-tax exemption, the 15-year property-tax exemption, and retail net metering all still apply in 2026.
One federal exception remains, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner, so on a leased system you do not file for a federal credit yourself. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025, so do not let a sales pitch tell a 2026 cash or loan buyer that the 30% federal credit is still available.
How to choose a solar installer in Con Edison Westchester territory
Westchester has a crowded installer market, drawn by high rates and still-valid state incentives, so vetting matters. Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, screen any company against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- A valid New York contractor license and proper insurance.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with Con Edison interconnection and Permission to Operate, plus eligibility for any income-qualified or battery incentive you might use.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote that shows the Customer Benefit Contribution, the fixed customer charge, and your bill after solar, rather than a retail-only projection.
For how the same New York rules play out elsewhere downstate, compare Con Edison net metering in New York City, where the same New York rules play out for downstate city customers. MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
Check which solar programs are available at your address →
Looking at the specifics? See local solar guides for Mount Vernon and New Rochelle in this service area.
Frequently asked questions
Is Con Edison my electric utility in Westchester? For most of Westchester County, yes. Con Edison delivers electricity across most of the county, and its Westchester operation is a separate rate zone from its New York City one, with bigger single-family homes that use more power (Con Edison rates, as of 2026). A few northern Westchester towns are served by NYSEG instead, so the quickest way to be sure is to read the utility name on your electric bill. If you are a Con Edison customer, your residential service is the SC 1 rate class, and your net metering and interconnection run through Con Edison, so the rules on this page apply to you.
What is the Con Edison Westchester electricity rate in 2026? New York residential power averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and a Con Edison Westchester bill runs higher once supply, delivery, and taxes are combined, roughly 33 to 38 cents per kWh by a 2026 local estimate (Westchester Home Energy, as of 2026). Con Edison also won its first electric rate increase in about a decade, raising electric rates about 4.3%, 5.0%, and 3.3% across 2026 to 2028 (Westchester County, as of 2026). Because supply floats monthly, divide your own bill total by the kWh used for the cleanest figure.
How does Con Edison net metering work in Westchester? A standard Con Edison home is on Phase One net metering, which nets the power your panels export against what you use at the retail rate, and any leftover credit rolls forward month to month and year to year, with no annual wholesale cash-out (Con Edison distributed-generation tariffs, as of 2026). A system interconnected after January 1, 2022 holds those terms for a 20-year term. You still pay the fixed SC 1 customer charge and a monthly Customer Benefit Contribution that your credits cannot erase, so a solar bill is rarely exactly zero. Sizing the system to your own yearly use keeps the most value at the retail rate.
What is the Customer Benefit Contribution charge? It is a monthly charge New York applies to net-metered solar customers, billed per kilowatt of installed solar capacity, and your solar credits cannot offset it (New York Solar Energy Industries Association, as of 2023). The last published figures put it at roughly $1 per kW a month, about $0.94 to $1.09 per kW in 2022 to 2023, and Con Edison updates it over time, so no single 2026 number is published. It is modest relative to a typical home’s solar savings, but you should include the current figure in your payback math, so ask Con Edison or your installer for the amount that applies when you go solar rather than assuming it is zero.
Does Westchester get the New York City solar property-tax abatement? No. The solar property-tax abatement is a New York City program, so a Con Edison customer in Westchester does not qualify for it, even though both are Con Edison territory. What Westchester homeowners get instead is New York’s statewide RPTL 487 exemption, which keeps the added home value from a solar system off your property tax bill for 15 years, unless your local jurisdiction has opted out (NY RPTL 487, as of 2026). So confirm your own Westchester town or village has not opted out, and ignore any city-focused advice about a four-year abatement.
What happened to the solar tax credit for Con Edison customers in 2026? The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a 2026 cash or loan buyer cannot claim the federal credit (IRS, as of 2026). New York’s own state credit, worth 25% of the system cost up to $5,000 on Form IT-255, was not affected and still applies (NY Tax and Finance, as of 2026). The two are separate programs, and some New York sources still wrongly imply the federal credit is alive in 2026. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice, so confirm your situation with a tax professional.
Is the NY-Sun rebate still available in Con Edison territory? For most homeowners, no. New York’s NY-Sun Megawatt Block paid a declining dollar-per-watt rebate, but the standard-income residential block has closed in the Con Edison region, with the final block paying about $0.20 per watt before it filled (NYSERDA, paying for solar, as of 2026). Income-qualified incentives and battery-storage rebates may still be available separately. If you qualify by income, it is worth real money; if not, plan your numbers around net metering and the New York State credit, and check the live NYSERDA dashboard before counting any rebate.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Con Edison, NYSERDA, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, New York RPTL, EIA, and Westchester County sources as of June 2026; Con Edison’s supply rate floats monthly, electric rates rise under the 2026 to 2028 rate plan, the Customer Benefit Contribution and NY-Sun block status change over time, and the RPTL 487 exemption is a local option, so confirm current terms with Con Edison and NYSERDA before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the renewable-energy certificates go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.