Solar

A solar energy system involves a lot more than putting panels on your roof and plugging in. Let's walk through each step of the process.

Step 1: Find a Contractor (2 to 4 weeks)

Once you decide to go solar, you need to find a contractor to install the panels. Contractors who made it on your short list should conduct a site visit and evaluate your usage to determine the appropriate system size and initial design. This step could take anywhere from a week to a month or longer depending on how busy the contractors are when you call to schedule site visits.

Step 2: System Design (Up to 8 weeks)

After you choose a solar installer, the formal design process begins. This includes detailed layouts of where each panel will go on the house, how they are tied in and more. 

It's also possible that your roof or electrical panel will need to be upgraded. Your contractor will apply for building permits with the appropriate local authority and for interconnection and net metering with Eversource. 

Step 3: Installation (1 to 2 weeks)

A typical residential job takes one to two days to install the panels, inverter, racking system and wiring. However, scheduling your installation may take six to eight weeks, depending on the backlog. 

Once plans are approved, the installer will order your panels and mounting equipment and schedule your installation. On installation day, racks are mounted on the roof to hold the panels, followed by the inverter, meter and electrical disconnects. The panels are then attached to the racks.

Step 4: Inspection, Interconnection, and System Testing (1 to 2 months)

After the system is installed, the local building or electrical inspector conducts a system and wiring inspection. Your solar contractor works with Eversource to complete the paperwork necessary to interconnect your solar system to our grid. 

Eversource will install new meters to measure how much energy your solar panels produce and how much energy you use from Eversource and send back to the grid. 

When the installation is complete, the contractor should test the equipment to confirm that it is operating properly and provide you instructions on how to operate and maintain your system. 

Step 5: Enjoy your Solar! (25 years)

Most solar panels have a 20- to 25-year manufacturer warranty with inverters warrantied up to 25 years. Your solar contractor should provide a minimum 5-year warranty to protect against defective workmanship, electric component breakdown, or significant degradation in electrical output. Your solar contractor may also offer you a maintenance contract. 

Buy-All Incentive

With the Buy-All Incentive, you will export all power that your system produces to the electric grid without first supplying power to your home.



If you choose this option:

 • We will purchase power from you at a rate approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)

 • You'll receive compensation as either an on-bill credit to offset your monthly bill or a cash payment once per quarter. You may specify a percentage of your compensation to be split between the two options

 • You will purchase the electricity you need to power your home directly from Eversource

 • Any on-bill credits not used to offset your bill can be cashed out once annually

 • Any cash payments (quarterly or annually) must go to a third party that is not the account holder

Current incentive rate

The Buy-All rate for approved applications submitting in 2023 is $0.2943 per kWh, and the Buy-All rate for approved applications submitting in 2024 is $0.3189 per kWh. This rate includes the REC value. Once enrolled, your incentive rate is locked in for a 20-year term.

Netting Incentive

With the Netting Incentive, you'll first supply power from the system to your home and only export excess power to the electric grid.



If you choose this option:

 • Power produced by your system, but not consumed within the month, is "netted" at the same rate you pay Eversource for electricity

 • Net credits are applied to your bill in dollars and will be used to offset future customer, supply and delivery charges

 • Any excess credits can be carried over each month and cashed out if you stop electric service

 • Once enrolled, your compensation rate (in dollars per kilowatt hour) for net production will fluctuate with the prevailing retail rate over a 20-year term

Current incentive rate

The netting incentive rate is the current retail rate plus a quarterly Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) payment. The REC payment rate for approved projects submitting in 2023 is $0.0318 per kWh, and for approved projects submitting in 2024 is $0.000 per kWh. This rate is set by the state and remains the same for 20 years. 

While the 2024 base rate is $0.000/kWh, projects may still receive a REC payment if that project is eligible for adders. See the Additional Income-Based Incentives section for more information.

Additional Income-Based Incentives

You may be eligible for an additional incentive if your income is at or below 60% of the state median income or if your solar installation is in an economically-distressed community. You can only receive one additional incentive.

There is a lot to consider before deciding to join other homeowner who have gone solar to help meet their energy needs.  The following are the step-by-step process to going solar.

Step 1:  Choose a solar installer - May take 1 to 4 weeks. 

Determine the installer you want to work with by doing comparison shopping of the offers provided to you by licensed solar installers in Connecticut.  Remember to visit our Customer Solar Information page to help you assess cost saving from going solar.

Step 2: Selecting solar system design - May take up to 8 weeks. 

Selecting the right systems design for you.  Work with your solar developer to submit your solar application.   After making sure that your roof condition is acceptable to install solar.  Your solar developer will help determine your home’s position to the sun and calculating your electricity needs, (remember to schedule a home energy audit if required).  You may want to consider future electricity needed to account for electric vehicle and, or heat pump requirements.  You will want to consider and evaluate financing options.

Step 3: Solar System Installation – May take up to 2 Months to complete. 

The installation process starts by obtaining the building permits in your jurisdictions.  The solar installer will build your systems according to the submitted design. This may take 6 to 8 weeks depending on any design changes, resubmission of documents and, or backlog.

Step 4: Final Interconnection process, Systems Inspection and Testing, Approval – May take 1 to 2 months.  

After your system has been built the town inspector in your jurisdiction must approve it.  The solar installer will work with UI to complete any required paperwork and, or, required document changes needed to interconnect your solar system to the grid.

UI will install required new meter to measure the production of your solar systems and meter to record energy put on gird and or needed by your home.

The final steps in this process include the solar system testing by your developer and may require UI witness testing of solar system.

Step 5: Approval to Energize – May take 1 to 2 weeks. 

UI will review the results of the system testing and issue a letter approving your solar systems interconnection to the grid.  This approval allows for your systems solar production and operations for up to 25 years.  You are now a Solar Customer!

Buy-All Tariff Incentive

With the Buy-All Incentive, you will export all power that your system produces to the electric grid instead of directly supplying electricity to your home.

If you choose this option:

 • We will purchase power from you at a rate approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).

 • You'll receive compensation as either an on-bill credit to offset your monthly bill or a direct payment once per quarter. You may specify a percentage of your compensation to be split between the two options.

 • You will purchase the electricity you need to power your home directly from UI. 

 • Any on-bill credits not used to offset your bill can be paid out once annually.

 • Any direct payments (quarterly or annually) must go to a third party (Tariff Payment Beneficiary) that is not the account holder.

What is a Tariff Payment Beneficiary? 

A Tariff Payment Beneficiary is an individual or entity that you designate to benefit from your solar generation by receiving Direct Payments (not “on-bill” credits). For the Buy-All Incentive, a Tariff Payment Beneficiary can be designated to receive a percentage of the total Buy-All incentive. The Buy-All Tariff Payment Beneficiary must be a third party. 

Netting Tariff Incentive

With the Netting Incentive, you'll first supply power from the system to your home and only export excess power to the electric grid.

If you choose this option:

 • Power produced by your system, but not consumed within the month, is "netted" at the same rate you pay UI for electricity.

 • Net credits are applied to your bill in dollars and will be used to offset future customer, supply and delivery charges.

 • Any excess credits can be carried over each month and paid out if you stop electric service.

 • Once enrolled, your compensation rate (in dollars per kilowatt hour) for net production will fluctuate with the prevailing retail rate over a 20-year term.

Additional Income-Based Incentives

You may be eligible for an additional incentive (“adders”) if your household income is at or below 60% of the state median income or if your solar installation is in an economically distressed community. To review income eligibility guidelines, please visit uinet.com/HelpWithBill.

If you participate in our Winter Protection Program, Bill Forgiveness Program (BFP), Matching Payment Program (MPP), Low-Income Discount Rate (LIDR), or the Home Energy Solutions Income Eligible (HES-IE) program, you are eligible for the additional income-based incentive.

 • Income Eligible (IE) Adder: If your household income is at or below 60% of State Median Income: you qualify for an additional incentive at a rate set by PURA for the year the system is approved and can be found in the RRES Program Manual. The current year’s rate is listed on the table in Figure 1.

 • Environmental Justice/Distressed Municipality (EJ/DM): If you reside in a listed, Environmental Justice Community/Distressed Municipality, you qualify for an additional incentive at a rate set by PURA for the year the system is approved and can be found in the RRES Program Manual. The current year’s rate is listed on the table in Figure 1. More information about Environmental Justice Communities can be found on the Connecticut
Department of Energy & Environmental Protection website.

You can only receive one additional incentive. If you are eligible for both, the higher of the eligible incentives will be applied to your account.