RG&E Solar in 2026: Net Metering, the CBC Charge, and What Rising Rochester Rates Mean

If Rochester Gas and Electric is your utility, this is how rooftop solar actually credits you in 2026, including one Rochester-area detail that surprises people. RG&E is an AVANGRID company that delivers power to nearly 400,000 electric customers across a nine-county region centered on the City of Rochester, and it has its own tariff, its own solar charge, and a 2026 rate case pushing bills higher. A standard home is credited through Phase One net metering at close to the retail rate, New York adds a monthly Customer Benefit Contribution to solar accounts (and RG&E’s is on the higher side statewide), and New York’s own 25% state credit still helps carry the cost. This page covers RG&E’s rate, how its net metering works inside New York’s VDER framework, the charge that catches people out, the rate case, what is open under NY-Sun in its region, how you connect, and how to tell whether your roof is a good fit.

RG&E solar in 2026, at a glance

• RG&E serves nearly 400,000 electric customers across a nine-county greater-Rochester region as an AVANGRID company, covering Monroe, Orleans, Ontario, Cayuga, Allegany, Genesee, Livingston, Wyoming, and Wayne counties (RG&E Service Area, as of July 2026).
• New York residential power averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets a pricey one from the grid.
• A typical 6 kW system in Rochester produces about 7,194 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts, 6 kW, ZIP 14604, as of July 2026), the production figure that drives your net-metering credits.
• A standard RG&E home is credited through Phase One net metering at close to the full retail rate, one of two compensation methods inside New York’s VDER framework, not the Value Stack that community projects use (RG&E PSC No. 19 Electricity, as of 2026).
• RG&E’s residential solar Customer Benefit Contribution is $1.31 per kW of DC capacity per month for 2026, among the higher utility solar charges in New York, and it is not erased by your solar credits (NYSERDA 2026 CBC Rates, as of April 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 buyer cannot claim the federal credit, but New York’s own benefits still apply.

Key numbers for an RG&E home

• New York residential electricity rate: about 28.55 cents per kWh, as of March 2026 (EIA).
• Typical 6 kW production in Rochester (ZIP 14604): about 7,194 kWh per year, as of July 2026 (NREL PVWatts).
• RG&E residential Phase One net-metering CBC: $1.31 per kW of DC capacity per month for 2026, about $94 a year for a 6 kW system (NYSERDA 2026 CBC Rates, April 2026).
• MySolarFY-estimated net annual bill offset for that 6 kW system: about $1,960, as of July 2026 (MySolarFY analysis from the EIA rate, the PVWatts figure, and the CBC).
• Estimated simple payback for a cash 6 kW system after the New York 25% state credit: about 6.9 years, as of July 2026 (MySolarFY estimate, assumptions shown below).

Who RG&E is, and why the utility matters for solar

RG&E is the regulated electric delivery utility for the Rochester metropolitan area and the interconnection authority for solar in that territory. Because upstate New York is served by several different utilities, it is worth being clear about who RG&E is, since the net-metering terms and the solar charge are set by your specific utility’s tariff.

Why solar pays on an RG&E bill, and why rates are rising

New York power is expensive, 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), so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets a pricey one from the grid. An RG&E bill has a fixed monthly basic service charge plus per-kWh delivery and supply components, all set in its New York tariff and updated through the year (RG&E Electricity Pricing and Tariff, as of July 2026). Because RG&E publishes those per-kWh pieces as tariff statements that change over time, the simplest way to see the rate your solar offsets is to divide the total on your RG&E bill by the kWh you used. The fixed monthly charge stays even after you add solar, so a solar bill is rarely exactly zero.

Your production drives the savings, so estimate it before you commit. A 6 kW system in Rochester produces about 7,194 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts, as of July 2026), a touch more than a Southern Tier roof because of Rochester’s latitude and irradiance, though a Lake Ontario winter is cloudy, so an upstate roof makes far less in December than in June. Your exact yearly figure depends on your roof’s pitch, orientation, and shade. Estimate your roof’s likely annual output with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator, then have your installer confirm it with a site-specific model. That production figure drives both your net-metering credits and whether the system fits your usage.

What an RG&E solar system is worth: our estimate

Here is our own estimate for a Rochester-area RG&E home, built from the rate and production figures above. We took NREL’s PVWatts production for a Rochester roof, valued it at New York’s average residential rate, and subtracted RG&E’s Customer Benefit Contribution to show a net annual bill offset and a simple payback. Treat these as planning estimates, not a quote: your roof, usage, equipment, and installed price will move the numbers, and a good installer will model your exact bill.

Assumptions (so you can follow the math): production scales from the PVWatts 6 kW figure of 7,194 kWh for ZIP 14604 (NREL PVWatts, as of July 2026); electricity valued at the New York average of 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026); an illustrative mid-market installed price of about $3.00 per watt before incentives, chosen as a planning placeholder for the New York residential market that your own local quotes should replace; the New York State credit of 25% of system cost capped at $5,000 (NY Tax and Finance, as of 2026); the CBC at $1.31 per kW of DC capacity per month, RG&E’s 2026 residential Phase One net-metering rate (NYSERDA 2026 CBC Rates, as of April 2026, which resets each year so confirm the current amount); and NO federal residential credit, because Section 25D ended after December 31, 2025. These are estimates, not guaranteed savings. Run your own address through the CTA above for a real local quote.

How RG&E credits your rooftop solar

A standard RG&E home is credited through Phase One net metering, which lives inside New York’s VDER framework. New York’s Value of Distributed Energy Resources (VDER) framework has two compensation methods: Phase One Net Energy Metering and the Value Stack. A typical residential rooftop system is credited under Phase One net metering, where the power your panels export is netted against the power you pull at close to the full retail rate of supply plus delivery (RG&E PSC No. 19 Electricity, as of 2026). So your meter effectively runs backward and the surplus becomes a credit you use when your home draws from the grid. For the full statewide picture of how these two methods work, see our deep dive on New York net metering and the VDER Value Stack; this page keeps to what is RG&E-specific.

The Value Stack is the other VDER option, and it is more common for community and larger projects. The Value Stack pays monetary credits based on wholesale energy value plus capacity and environmental adders, and it is the method behind community distributed generation credits on New York bills. A residential customer may elect the Value Stack, but most homeowners who own a rooftop system that offsets their own use stay on Phase One net metering, because retail-rate crediting is usually simpler and worth more for a home (RG&E PSC No. 19 Electricity, as of 2026). For a plain-English primer on how export credits work in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports.

How RG&E’s solar charge compares across New York

RG&E’s CBC is on the higher end of the New York utilities, so it is worth seeing in context. NYSERDA publishes each utility’s residential CBC in one table, and RG&E sits second only to Central Hudson among the investor-owned utilities. The charge is still small next to what your production offsets, but a Central Hudson-style or RG&E-style rate takes a slightly larger bite than a National Grid one, which is why it belongs in your own payback math rather than a generic estimate.

Source: NYSERDA Utility-Calculated 2026 CBC Rates (residential SC-1, as of April 2026). Rates change annually and are not locked in at interconnection.

New York incentives an RG&E customer can stack

New York’s incentives do real work in 2026, and they stack on top of net metering. For the statewide picture, see our New York solar incentives hub, the NY-Sun incentive guide, and our guide to solar incentives for how these fit together.

The headline is that New York’s own credit survived the federal change. New York still offers a state credit worth 25% of your system cost, capped at $5,000 and claimed on Form IT-255, and it applies whether you buy with cash, a loan, a lease, or a PPA of at least 10 years (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026). On top of that, residential solar equipment is exempt from the 4% New York State sales tax under Tax Law Section 1115(ee), though the local county or city portion is only exempt where that jurisdiction elected it, and New York’s RPTL 487 keeps the increase in your home value off your property-tax bill for 15 years unless your local jurisdiction has opted out (NY RPTL 487, as of 2026). Together with retail net metering, that stack is what carries the payback in 2026.

NY-Sun: what is actually open for an RG&E customer in 2026

NY-Sun is still running, but check the live block before you count on a rebate. NYSERDA’s NY-Sun program pays a declining dollar-per-watt Megawatt Block incentive, split into Upstate, Con Edison, and Long Island regions, and RG&E’s territory falls in the Upstate residential region (NYSERDA Upstate Dashboard, as of July 2026). As of NYSERDA’s July 2025 operating plan, a standard residential Megawatt Block was added for National Grid, NYSEG, and RG&E customers, and NY-Sun is authorized to run through December 31, 2030 or until its funds are committed, so a standard per-watt incentive may still be available in RG&E territory. Income-eligible households, at or below about 80% of the Area or State Median Income, also qualify for the Affordable Solar incentive of about $0.80 per watt in the Upstate region. Because these Megawatt Blocks fill and close at any time, confirm the current block status on the live NYSERDA Upstate dashboard before you fold any rebate into your numbers.

Rooftop solar versus community solar in RG&E territory

Several of the RG&E 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 RG&E bill rather than rooftop ownership (RG&E Community Distributed Generation, as of July 2026). It is the path that shows up as a value-stack credit on the bill, and it is a fair option if your own roof does not work. It also skips the Customer Benefit Contribution, because that charge applies to systems you interconnect at your own site, not to a community-solar subscription.

Owning a rooftop system is the path that earns retail-rate net metering and lets you claim New York’s state credit, because you own the equipment. If a sunny roof is not an option, a community-solar subscription is a fair alternative to compare.

How to connect solar to RG&E

Connecting a home system follows New York’s Standardized Interconnection Requirements (SIR), which the New York Public Service Commission sets statewide and RG&E implements in its territory for systems up to 5 MW. Your system cannot operate in parallel with RG&E’s grid until RG&E grants final acceptance, its Permission to Operate. The general path is:

1. Interconnection application. Your installer files an application under the New York SIR with RG&E, including the system design and required documents (RG&E Distributed Generation, as of July 2026). Standard residential systems generally have low or no application fees in New York.
2. Review and conditional approval. RG&E reviews the package for safety and net-metering eligibility and issues conditional approval (RG&E CDG Procedural Requirements, as of 2026). The application details must match the account holder.
3. Install and inspect. A licensed contractor installs the system and it passes your local electrical inspection.
4. Meter and Permission to Operate. RG&E completes its acceptance and sets the bi-directional net meter, and the system may not run in parallel with the grid until that final acceptance is granted (RG&E Distributed Generation, as of 2026). Only then does it start banking net-metering credits.

A licensed installer normally manages this whole process, including the interconnection paperwork and your net-metering enrollment. RG&E reports that it and NYSEG brought 2,796 customer-owned generating facilities online across their territories in the last five years, so residential interconnection here is a well-worn path (RG&E, as of 2026).

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 an RG&E customer who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim the federal credit (IRS, as of 2026). 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 by that change: 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. On a leased system you do not file for a federal credit yourself, because the company that owns the panels does. 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 otherwise.

How to choose a solar installer in RG&E territory

The Rochester area has plenty of installers, 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 Home Improvement Contractor registration and proper insurance.
• A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
• Real experience with RG&E interconnection and Permission to Operate, plus eligibility for any NY-Sun incentive you qualify for.
• A written production estimate and a transparent quote that shows the $1.31 per kW Customer Benefit Contribution and your bill after solar, rather than a rosy retail-only projection.

For comparison with the rest of New York, see how the credits work under NYSEG net metering across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes, under National Grid net metering elsewhere upstate, under Central Hudson net metering in the Mid-Hudson Valley, and under Con Edison net metering in New York City and Westchester. To see how we research these pages, read how MySolarFY works and our data and methodology. 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 →

Frequently asked questions

How does RG&E net metering work in 2026? A standard RG&E home is credited through Phase One net metering, one of the two compensation methods inside New York’s VDER framework, where the power your panels export is netted against what you use at close to the full retail rate of supply plus delivery (RG&E PSC No. 19 Electricity, as of 2026). When your panels make more than you use, your meter runs backward and the surplus becomes a credit you draw on later. You also pay a monthly Customer Benefit Contribution and the fixed basic service charge, so a solar bill is rarely exactly zero. The lesson is to size the system close to your own yearly use so most of your output offsets retail-priced power.

What is the RG&E Customer Benefit Contribution charge? It is a monthly charge that New York applies to solar systems installed on or after January 1, 2022, billed per kW of your system’s DC nameplate capacity and set under the state’s net-metering successor tariff in RG&E’s PSC No. 19 Rule 40 (RG&E Electricity Pricing and Tariff, as of 2026). It is non-bypassable, meaning your solar credits cannot offset it. NYSERDA’s official 2026 table lists RG&E’s residential rate at $1.31 per kW per month, about $94 a year for a 6 kW system, among the higher utility CBCs in New York, with a lower rate of $0.65 per kW for customers on the Value Stack (NYSERDA 2026 CBC Rates, as of April 2026). The rate resets each year, so confirm the current figure and include it in your payback math.

Is RG&E on net metering or the VDER Value Stack? Both live inside New York’s VDER framework, and a typical rooftop home is credited under Phase One net metering at close to the retail rate, not the Value Stack (RG&E PSC No. 19 Electricity, as of 2026). The Value Stack is the other VDER option and pays monetary credits based on wholesale energy value plus capacity and environmental adders; it is more common for community distributed generation and larger projects. A homeowner may elect the Value Stack, but most who own a rooftop system that offsets their own use stay on Phase One net metering because retail crediting is usually worth more. See our New York VDER deep dive for the full comparison.

Why are RG&E bills going up in 2026? RG&E filed a 2026 rate case whose original request would have raised a typical residential bill by about 26%, roughly $33 more a month (NY Department of Public Service, as of May 2026). After public opposition, the New York Public Service Commission set temporary rates from June 1, 2026 that hold RG&E’s electric delivery revenue increase to about 4.0% while it reviews the full case. The final rates are still being decided, so Rochester-area bills are likely to keep climbing, which raises the value of the power your own roof makes and can shorten a solar payback.

What happened to the solar tax credit for RG&E 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. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice, so confirm your situation with a tax professional.

Is the NY-Sun rebate still available in RG&E territory? Possibly, but check the live block. RG&E is in NY-Sun’s Upstate residential region, and as of NYSERDA’s July 2025 operating plan a standard residential Megawatt Block was added for National Grid, NYSEG, and RG&E customers, with NY-Sun authorized to run through December 31, 2030 or until its funds are committed (NYSERDA Upstate Dashboard, as of July 2026). So a standard per-watt incentive may still be available. Income-eligible households at or below about 80% of the Area or State Median Income also qualify for the Affordable Solar incentive of about $0.80 per watt. Because these blocks fill and close at any time, check the live NYSERDA Upstate dashboard before you count on a rebate.

How do I connect rooftop solar to RG&E? Your installer files an interconnection application under New York’s Standardized Interconnection Requirements, which the NY Public Service Commission sets and RG&E implements for systems up to 5 MW (RG&E Distributed Generation, as of July 2026). RG&E reviews it and issues conditional approval, then a licensed contractor installs the system and it passes local electrical inspection. RG&E completes its acceptance and sets the bi-directional net meter, and your system cannot run in parallel with the grid until that Permission to Operate is granted. A licensed installer normally handles the whole process for you.

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Updated for 2026. Figures were verified against the linked RG&E, AVANGRID, NYSERDA, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, New York RPTL, New York Department of Public Service, EIA, and IRS sources as of July 2026; net-metering terms, the rate, the Customer Benefit Contribution, the pending rate case, NY-Sun block status, and electricity rates reset over time, so confirm current terms with RG&E and NYSERDA before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY team and how we work.

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. 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.