Connecticut Electricity Rates 2026: Eversource & United Illuminating

Connecticut has some of the highest electricity prices in the country, and in 2026 the number on your bill is the strongest reason to look at rooftop solar. The rate you actually pay depends on which utility serves your address, Eversource or United Illuminating, and on a distinction most rate pages skip: the Standard Service rate you see quoted is only the supply half of your bill, not the all-in rate. This page breaks down what Connecticut homeowners really pay per kilowatt-hour in 2026 by utility, why bills are so high, and how solar under Connecticut’s Residential Renewable Energy Solutions program turns that high rate into savings you can lock in.

Connecticut homeowners pay about 27 cents per kWh all-in in 2026 (27.37 cents, EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026), among the highest electricity rates in the country, and the supply-only Standard Service rate your utility quotes sits well below that all-in number.

By the SolarFY Editor team, reviewed July 2026. See our data and methodology.

Updated for 2026. Every rate and figure below is dated to its source and was last reviewed in July 2026; Connecticut Standard Service supply rates reset every January 1 and July 1, so confirm the current number on your own bill.

What Connecticut homeowners actually pay per kWh in 2026

Connecticut homeowners pay about 27 cents per kWh all-in in 2026, among the highest rates in the country (EIA, May 2026). Here is how that breaks down by utility.

• The all-in average is about 27 cents per kWh. Connecticut residential electricity averaged 27.37 cents per kWh in the most recent published month (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026), roughly 48% above the national average of 18.44 cents, which works out to about $192 a month for a typical home using 700 kWh. It ran between about 27 and 32 cents across the first half of 2026, and was 31.59 cents a year earlier, so it has come down but stays near the top of the national range.
• Your utility is Eversource or United Illuminating. Connecticut’s two investor-owned utilities each set their own regulated Standard Service supply rate, which resets every January 1 and July 1, and a handful of municipal utilities serve their own towns separately, usually at lower rates (Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel, as of July 2026).
• Standard Service is supply only, not your full rate. Eversource’s residential Standard Service supply rate is 11.577 cents per kWh and United Illuminating’s is about 11.95 cents per kWh, both effective July 1 through December 31, 2026 (Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel), but that covers generation only. Delivery charges and the Public Benefits charge push your all-in rate up near 27 cents.
• Connecticut rates are structurally high, tied to winter natural gas and a large Public Benefits charge. New England leans heavily on natural gas for both heat and power, and constrained winter pipelines drive some of the nation’s highest wholesale prices (EIA, as of 2026). On top of that, Connecticut bills carry a non-bypassable Public Benefits charge that recently ran about 20% of a typical Eversource bill (Connecticut PURA, as of 2026).
• Solar offsets the all-in rate under Connecticut’s RRES program. Connecticut replaced traditional net metering with the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) program in 2022, which credits rooftop solar through one of two tariff options, Netting or Buy-All (Connecticut PURA, as of 2026), so the power your roof makes offsets or earns against that same high all-in rate.
• The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of January 1, 2026), so a Connecticut homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it, though the state’s RRES incentives continue.

Key numbers, dated and sourced

• Connecticut residential all-in rate: 27.37 cents per kWh, May 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A).
• Eversource residential Standard Service supply rate: 11.577 cents per kWh, effective July 1 through December 31, 2026 (Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel).
• New England regional average residential rate: 28.14 cents per kWh, May 2026 (EIA).
• RRES 2026 Buy-All incentive rate: 32.89 cents per kWh, fixed for 20 years and including the REC value (Eversource RRES, as of 2026).
• A 6 kW system in Hartford produces about 7,509 kWh a year, as of 2026 (NREL PVWatts, 06103).
• According to MySolarFY’s analysis (as of July 2026), a typical Connecticut home offsets about $2,055 of electricity a year at the all-in rate (EIA rate times NREL PVWatts production).

What is the price per kWh in Connecticut, and why so much of it is “delivery”

Connecticut’s all-in residential rate is about 27 cents per kWh in 2026, among the highest in the nation. The EIA puts the statewide residential average at 27.37 cents per kWh in May 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A), which lands a typical 700 kWh home near $192 a month. That is roughly 48% above the U.S. average of 18.44 cents, and it is the number that matters for solar, because solar offsets the whole delivered rate, not just one piece of it.

Your bill has two halves, and only one of them is the Standard Service rate. Every Connecticut electric bill splits into supply (the cost of generating the power) and delivery (moving it over the utility’s wires, plus fixed charges, riders, and the Public Benefits charge). Standard Service is the utility’s regulated default supply rate, set through state-overseen procurement and reset every January 1 and July 1 (Connecticut PURA, as of 2026). Here is the catch: when a rate page tells you Connecticut power is “12 cents,” that is usually the supply-only Standard Service rate. Your all-in rate, supply plus delivery, is the roughly 27-cent figure the EIA reports. Solar is credited against that all-in rate, which is exactly why the gap matters.

Connecticut electricity rates by utility: Eversource vs United Illuminating

Two investor-owned utilities serve almost all Connecticut homeowners, and each sets its own Standard Service supply rate. Eversource is the larger of the two, covering most of the state. United Illuminating (UI) serves the greater Bridgeport and New Haven areas along the southern coast. Your delivery utility is fixed by where you live, and it sets the Standard Service rate below. A handful of municipal light plants, in towns like Norwich, Wallingford, and Groton, run their own systems separately, usually at lower rates. Each of the utility guides above covers its own RRES and interconnection details in full.

Utility	Residential Standard Service supply rate	How it is structured	All-in delivered rate
Eversource	11.577 cents per kWh, effective July 1 through December 31, 2026 (12.641 cents in the January to June period) (CT Office of Consumer Counsel)	A published flat residential rate that resets each January 1 and July 1	Delivery, riders, and the Public Benefits charge bring the all-in rate near 27 cents per kWh
United Illuminating	About 11.95 cents per kWh, effective July 1 through December 31, 2026 (about 13.70 cents in the January to June period) (CT Office of Consumer Counsel)	A published flat residential rate on the same January 1 and July 1 reset schedule	UI’s higher delivery charges keep its all-in bills among the highest in the state

Note: Standard Service is a supply-only number. Two homes in different utility territories can see similar all-in bills even when their Standard Service rates differ, because delivery charges, the monthly customer charge, and the Public Benefits charge vary by utility. The one figure that reflects your true cost per kWh is your own bill: divide a month’s total dollars by the kWh used. That all-in cents-per-kWh is what solar offsets. If your town has a municipal light plant, your rate is set by that plant, not by Eversource or United Illuminating.

Why is electricity so expensive in Connecticut, and why did my bill change?

Connecticut rates are among the nation’s highest because New England leans hard on natural gas, and because Connecticut bills carry a large Public Benefits charge. The region uses natural gas to generate a large share of its electricity and to heat most of its homes, so on cold days the same constrained pipelines have to supply both. That competition sends winter wholesale power and gas prices to some of the highest levels in the country, and those costs flow into the utilities’ Standard Service supply rate (EIA, as of 2026). On the delivery side, Connecticut adds a non-bypassable Public Benefits charge that funds energy-efficiency programs, renewable-energy commitments, and customer assistance, and it recently ran about 20% of a typical Eversource residential bill (Connecticut PURA, as of 2026).

That Public Benefits charge is also why your bill moved. A large, time-limited increase in the Public Benefits charge, tied to nuclear-power contracts and pandemic-era unpaid balances, pushed Connecticut bills sharply higher in 2024. In May 2026 state regulators nearly eliminated that portion of the charge, which cut typical bills by around 15% and helped bring the statewide average down from 31.59 cents a year earlier to 27.37 cents (Connecticut PURA, as of 2026; EIA, May 2026). Even after that relief, the underlying rate stays near the top of the national range because the gas-and-power market driver has not changed, which is what makes locking in a portion of your usage with solar attractive.

Who is the cheapest electricity supplier in Connecticut?

Because Connecticut lets you shop the supply half of your bill, you can pick a competitive supplier, but “cheapest” is a moving target and Standard Service is your benchmark. Any licensed competitive supplier that beats your utility’s Standard Service rate lowers your supply cost; any that is higher raises it. The trap is teaser pricing: a low introductory supply rate that resets to a higher variable rate after a few months, which is how some households end up paying more, not less, after switching (Connecticut PURA consumer guidance, as of 2026). Two honest points a rate page should make:

• Shopping only touches supply. You cannot shop away the delivery charges, the monthly customer charge, the riders, or the Public Benefits charge. Those stay with your utility no matter who supplies the electrons.
• A municipal light plant, if your town has one, sets your whole rate. Connecticut has several municipal utilities, and their all-in rates are often below the investor-owned utilities’. If you live in one of those towns you cannot switch to Eversource or United Illuminating, but you are usually already paying less.
• Solar addresses the delivered rate you pay regardless of supplier. Whether you are on Standard Service or a competitive plan, the power your roof produces works against your full retail rate under RRES. That is a different lever than switching suppliers, and the two can stack.

How much can solar save on a Connecticut electric bill?

At about 27 cents per kWh all-in, a right-sized system offsets most of a typical Connecticut home’s electricity. Under Connecticut’s RRES Netting option, the power your roof produces is used on site first and any excess is credited toward your bill, so a kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets a kilowatt-hour you would otherwise buy at that high all-in rate. The caveat specific to Connecticut: 2026 Netting enrollees also pay a Solar Energy Adjustment of about 4.02 cents per kWh on their production, so the effective credit lands in the mid-20s cents per kWh rather than the full retail rate, and the alternative Buy-All option works differently. We keep the current Netting and Buy-All numbers on our dedicated explainer, linked below.

The table below is our own estimate for Connecticut, computed from the state’s all-in rate and local production, not a figure lifted from another site. Instead of resizing the system to match each home, it holds one representative 6 kW system constant, roughly what an average Connecticut home installs, and shows how much of four different usage levels that same array offsets. That is the useful part: the identical system covers a light user’s whole bill but only part of a heavy user’s, and the dollar offset stops climbing once your usage passes what the panels make. It uses the EIA statewide rate of 27.37 cents per kWh (May 2026) and Hartford production of 7,509 kWh a year for a 6 kW system (PVWatts, 06103). Your own numbers depend on your roof, shading, usage, utility, and whether you pick Netting or Buy-All, so treat this as an estimate and check your address.

Your annual usage	Annual bill at 27.37 cents/kWh	A 6 kW system produces (Hartford)	Share of your usage it offsets	Estimated annual bill offset
6,000 kWh (about 500/mo)	About $1,642	About 7,509 kWh	About 100%, with a small surplus	About $1,642
8,400 kWh (CT average, about 700/mo)	About $2,299	About 7,509 kWh	About 89%	About $2,055
10,200 kWh (about 850/mo)	About $2,792	About 7,509 kWh	About 74%	About $2,055
12,600 kWh (about 1,050/mo)	About $3,449	About 7,509 kWh	About 60%	About $2,055

Inputs and assumptions: all-in rate 27.37 cents/kWh (EIA, May 2026); production 7,509 kWh a year for a 6 kW system in Hartford (NREL PVWatts, 06103). The annual bill offset is the production you actually use times the rate, capped at your usage; the figures do not subtract Connecticut’s 2026 Netting Solar Energy Adjustment of about 4.02 cents per kWh (which would put a Netting home’s effective credit in the mid-20s cents per kWh) or reflect the Buy-All alternative, both of which change the real number, so run your own case on our net-metering explainer. To turn this into a payback against a real installed price, run your address through our solar cost and savings guide. Estimate only, not a quote.

The bigger driver is what you avoid over 25 years as rates keep climbing. A Connecticut home using about 8,400 kWh spends roughly $2,299 on electricity this year. Held flat that is about $57,000 over 25 years, but Connecticut rates have not held flat; at a modest 2% to 3% a year that same 25-year spend is about $74,000 to $84,000 (SolarFY estimate, compounding the EIA rate). Solar does not make electricity free, but it locks in a large share of that spend at today’s cost, which is the real hedge against the next Standard Service reset. To run the payback for your own roof and utility, see our solar cost and savings guide and how much homeowners save on energy with solar. For a neighboring high-rate state, compare our New Jersey electricity rates guide.

Does Connecticut have net metering? RRES Netting vs Buy-All

Connecticut replaced traditional net metering with the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) program in 2022, and it gives you a choice of two tariffs. Both run for 20 years once you enroll, and you pick one at interconnection (Connecticut PURA, as of 2026).

• Netting works like classic net metering: your solar powers your home first, and excess exports are credited toward your bill at the retail rate, rolling over month to month. The catch for 2026 enrollees is a Solar Energy Adjustment of about 4.02 cents per kWh (0.0402 dollars) applied to your total production, which trims the effective credit to roughly the mid-20s cents per kWh rather than full retail (Eversource RRES, as of 2026).
• Buy-All treats your system like a small power plant: the utility buys every kWh you generate at a fixed incentive rate, 32.89 cents per kWh for 2026 applications and locked for 20 years, including the value of the renewable-energy certificates, while you buy all the power your home uses at the normal retail rate (Eversource RRES, as of 2026).

Which one wins depends on your usage pattern and rate, and the math is different from a plain net-metering state, so we keep the full side-by-side on our Connecticut RRES Netting vs Buy-All explainer, and the statewide incentive picture on the Connecticut solar guide. For how Connecticut’s numbers have moved, see our Connecticut solar data and statistics for 2026.

RRES option	How it credits you	Best fit
Netting	Solar offsets your usage first; excess exports credited toward your bill near the retail rate, minus a 2026 Solar Energy Adjustment of about 4.02 cents per kWh on production (effective credit lands in the mid-20s cents per kWh)	Homes that use much of their solar on site during the day
Buy-All	Utility buys all production at a fixed 32.89 cents per kWh for 20 years (REC value included); you buy all consumption at retail	Homes that want a predictable, locked 20-year payment on every kWh generated
Federal residential tax credit (Section 25D)	Ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025	Not available to 2026 homeowner-buyers

What the end of the federal tax credit means for Connecticut solar

The federal homeowner credit is gone, but Connecticut’s own program is not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Connecticut homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of January 2026). You will still see installer pages asking whether the 30% credit is going away; the accurate answer for 2026 is that the homeowner version already ended. What did not change is the part that makes Connecticut solar pay: the high all-in rate you are offsetting and 20 years of RRES Netting or Buy-All credits. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026, and for how the numbers work without it, see whether solar panels are worth it.

One federal exception exists, and it is not the homeowner’s to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can apply to a leased or power-purchase-agreement system, but the company that owns the panels claims it, not the homeowner (IRS, as of 2026). On a lease or PPA you do not file for a federal credit yourself. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.

How to compare solar options against your Connecticut rate

Because your utility rate is the thing solar competes with, the smartest comparison starts with your own bill, then screens installers on objective criteria rather than a “best installer” list. When you weigh quotes:

• Start from your all-in rate, not the Standard Service rate. Divide a recent bill’s total by the kWh used, then ask each installer to model savings against that number and your actual usage, not a generic state average.
• Confirm the quote uses today’s RRES rules. Ask whether it assumes Netting or Buy-All, and whether it accounts for the 2026 Solar Energy Adjustment. A quote that leans on the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025 is not comparable to one built on 2026 reality.
• Screen every installer the same way. Look for NABCEP certification, a valid Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor registration and electrical licensing, a written workmanship and equipment warranty, and real experience with Eversource or United Illuminating interconnection. For a full checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
• Compare ownership paths. Cash and loan keep the RRES income and deliver the most lifetime savings; a lease or PPA can mean no up-front cost for eligible homeowners, but it is a long-term agreement with monthly payments, not free solar, and the system owner keeps the RRES credits. See whether solar panels are worth it.

Connecticut has a competitive installer market across Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, and the rest of the state, which is good for pricing. MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation. You can also read how MySolarFY works and our data and methodology to see how we research these numbers.

Check which solar programs are available at your Connecticut address →

Frequently asked questions

What is the price per kWh in Connecticut in 2026?

Connecticut’s all-in residential electricity rate averaged about 27.37 cents per kWh in May 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A), roughly 48% above the national average of 18.44 cents, which puts a typical 700 kWh home near $192 a month. That all-in figure includes both supply and delivery. The supply-only Standard Service rate is far lower: Eversource’s is 11.577 cents per kWh and United Illuminating’s is about 11.95 cents per kWh, both effective July 1 through December 31, 2026, with delivery charges and the Public Benefits charge making up the difference between that supply rate and your full bill.

Why is electricity so expensive in Connecticut, and why did my bill change?

Connecticut rates are among the nation’s highest because New England relies heavily on natural gas for both electricity and home heating, and constrained winter pipelines push wholesale prices to some of the highest levels in the country (EIA). Connecticut bills also carry a large non-bypassable Public Benefits charge. A time-limited spike in that charge pushed bills up in 2024, and state regulators nearly eliminated that portion in May 2026, cutting typical bills by around 15% and bringing the statewide average down from 31.59 cents a year earlier to 27.37 cents (Connecticut PURA). Because the gas-and-power market driver has not changed, the underlying rate stays high.

Who is the cheapest electricity supplier in Connecticut?

Connecticut lets you shop the supply portion of your bill, and any licensed competitive supplier that beats your utility’s Standard Service rate lowers your supply cost. There is no single permanent “cheapest,” and low introductory rates that reset to higher variable rates are a common trap (Connecticut PURA). Shopping only affects supply; delivery charges and the Public Benefits charge stay with your utility. If your town has a municipal light plant, that plant sets your rate and it is often already cheaper than Eversource or United Illuminating.

Is the Standard Service rate what I actually pay per kWh?

No. Standard Service is the supply-only rate, the benchmark you would measure a competitive supplier against (Connecticut PURA, as of 2026). Your all-in rate adds delivery charges, the monthly customer charge, riders, and the Public Benefits charge on top, which is why an Eversource Standard Service rate near 11.6 cents becomes a roughly 27-cent all-in rate on a real bill. To find your true cost per kWh, divide a month’s total dollars by the kWh you used. That all-in number is what rooftop solar offsets.

How much can solar save on a Connecticut electric bill?

At about 27 cents per kWh, a typical Connecticut home using 8,400 kWh a year spends roughly $2,299 on electricity (EIA, May 2026). A 6 kW system in the Hartford area produces about 7,509 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts), which offsets most of that under Connecticut’s RRES program, on the order of $2,055 a year before the 2026 Netting Solar Energy Adjustment or the Buy-All alternative are applied. Over 25 years, avoiding a bill that compounds 2% to 3% a year is worth an estimated $74,000 to $84,000. Savings vary by roof, usage, utility, and which RRES tariff you choose, so treat these as estimates and check your address.

Did the 30% federal solar tax credit end for Connecticut homeowners?

Yes. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (IRS, as of January 2026), so a Connecticut homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it. A separate commercial credit (Section 48E) can apply to leased or PPA systems, but the company that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner. Connecticut’s RRES program, with its Netting and Buy-All tariffs, was not affected, so the state-level case for solar holds up on its own.

Does Connecticut have net metering, and what does it pay?

Connecticut replaced traditional net metering with the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) program in 2022 (Connecticut PURA, as of 2026). You choose one of two 20-year tariffs: Netting, where solar offsets your usage and excess exports are credited near the retail rate, minus a 2026 Solar Energy Adjustment of about 4.02 cents per kWh on production; or Buy-All, where the utility buys all your production at a fixed 32.89 cents per kWh for 2026 applications, REC value included, while you buy your household power at retail. Which pays more depends on your usage, so compare both before you enroll.

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Reviewed by the SolarFY Editor team. Figures were verified against the linked EIA, Connecticut PURA, the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel, Eversource, United Illuminating, and IRS sources as of July 2026. Connecticut Standard Service rates reset every January 1 and July 1, the RRES Buy-All rate and Netting Solar Energy Adjustment can change for new applications, and the Public Benefits charge is set by regulators, so confirm current terms with your utility and Connecticut PURA before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the SolarFY editorial team and how we work.

MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, a utility, an electricity supplier, a financing company, or a 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 RRES credits and any tax benefits 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. Electricity rates, incentives, savings, and RRES terms vary by utility and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.