Connecticut Net Metering 2026: How the RRES Netting Tariff Works

Yes, but CT calls it the RRES Netting Tariff rather than traditional "net metering." Under this program, your solar system powers your home first. Any excess electricity exported to the grid earns retail-rate credits on your utility bill. Credits roll over monthly with no expiration until you terminate service. Both Eversource CT and United Illuminating administer the program under PURA rules.

Credits are calculated at the retail electricity rate for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) exported to the grid. For Eversource CT customers, this is approximately $0.29/kWh. For United Illuminating customers, approximately $0.28/kWh. The credit rate fluctuates with the prevailing utility rate over your 20-year enrollment. However, the $0.0402/kWh Solar Energy Adjustment is subtracted from your total production value for 2026 enrollees.

No. Under the RRES Netting Tariff, excess credits roll over from month to month indefinitely. There is no annual true-up or forced cash-out. Credits are only reconciled and paid out if you terminate your electric service. This is actually more favorable than states like Massachusetts, which force an annual true-up at wholesale rates.

No, if you are a residential customer. Virtual net metering in Connecticut is restricted to municipal entities, state agencies, and agricultural customers only. Residential homeowners cannot participate. If you cannot install rooftop solar, look into the Shared Clean Energy Facility (SCEF) community solar program, which uses a different billing credit mechanism.

The Solar Energy Adjustment is a per-kWh charge that applies to ALL solar production for RRES participants — not just exports, but every kWh your system generates. For 2026 enrollees, the rate is $0.0402/kWh, which is an 8x increase from the prior $0.005/kWh rate. For a typical 11 kW system producing 12,925 kWh/year, this costs approximately $520/year. Legacy customers enrolled before the rate change are grandfathered at $0.005/kWh through December 31, 2039.

Both utilities administer the same RRES Netting Tariff under identical PURA rules. The Solar Energy Adjustment rate is the same ($0.0402/kWh for 2026 enrollees). The only meaningful difference is the base electric rate: Eversource averages $0.29/kWh while UI averages $0.28/kWh. Both have $7/month minimum bills and 4-8 week interconnection timelines.

The maximum system size under the RRES program is 25 kW. Most residential systems in Connecticut are 8-13 kW, well within this limit. Systems should be sized to offset approximately 100% of your annual electricity consumption. Oversizing is not economically beneficial because the Solar Energy Adjustment applies to all production, meaning you pay $0.0402 per kWh on every kWh generated regardless of whether you use it or export it.

Yes, a battery can improve your solar economics in Connecticut. By storing excess daytime solar for evening use, a battery increases self-consumption from approximately 35% to 55% of your production. This means you avoid buying more expensive grid electricity in the evening. Additionally, CT offers the Energy Storage Solutions (ESS) program with $250-$600/kWh upfront incentives plus demand response performance payments. The ESS incentive alone can cover 25-40% of battery costs.

Under the RRES Netting Tariff, excess credits simply continue to roll over month after month with no forced cash-out. If you consistently overproduce, credits will accumulate on your account indefinitely. They are only settled when you close your utility account. However, note that the Solar Energy Adjustment still applies to all production, so overproduction means paying more in adjustment fees without proportional bill savings. Size your system to match annual consumption.

For most homeowners, the Netting Tariff is better because self-consumed electricity avoids the full retail rate ($0.29/kWh for Eversource), which is higher than the Buy-All rate ($0.3289/kWh minus self-consumption opportunity cost). The Buy-All tariff is primarily designed for third-party-owned systems (PPAs/leases) where all production goes to the grid. With the Buy-All tariff, the rate is locked for 20 years at enrollment, which provides certainty but means you buy 100% of your electricity from the utility at the prevailing rate.