RG&E · New York · Updated August 2026
Why your RG&E bill is so high
What RG&E charges, why it moved, and what a roof produces against it.
Your own rateDivide your bill total by the kWh you usedRanked #1 by Solar Power World · Inc. 5000 · 20,000+ installations
Estimate what solar does against your RG&E bill
Enter the rate from your own bill. We do not pre-fill one for RG&E because we cannot source a reliable all-in figure. Sun hours default to 3.8, which is typical for upstate New York. RG&E bills supply, delivery and riders separately, so a single headline rate does not describe it well. Enter your bill and we’ll size the array that would cover it, and show the gross value of that production at your rate. It does not net off the customer charge, taxes or what you would still draw at night — for that, use the bill savings calculator. Nothing is sent anywhere; this runs in your browser.
An estimate from your own numbers, not a quote, and not a savings figure. It assumes 400 W panels, an 80% system derate and no roof constraints. Your real number depends on orientation, roof area and your utility’s export credit. Savings are not guaranteed.
The number
What RG&E actually charges
RG&E does not publish a single all-in residential figure, and we do not publish an estimate of one. The 28.6¢ that circulated widely could not be traced to a filing, and swapping it for another unverified number would repeat the mistake. Take your bill total and divide it by the kilowatt-hours you used that month — supply, delivery, riders and taxes are all in there already. That figure is your real rate, and it is the one the calculator above wants.
| Monthly usage | At your rate |
|---|---|
| 750 kWh | your rate × 750 |
| 1,000 kWh | your rate × 1,000 |
| 1,500 kWh | your rate × 1,500 |
| 2,000 kWh | your rate × 2,000 |
How that compares in New York
| Utility | All-in rate |
|---|---|
| NYSEG | ~18.3¢ |
| National Grid | ~20.0¢ |
| Con Edison | ~33.8¢ |
| Central Hudson | ~24.0¢ |
| Orange & Rockland | ~24.0¢ |
| PSEG Long Island | ~25.0¢ |
You do not choose your utility — it is set by your address. This is context, not an option.
Why it is high
Three causes, in the order worth checking
Usage
Pull twelve months of kilowatt-hours from your RG&E account. Dollars hide whether the problem is how much you use or what you pay for it. Electric heat, a heat pump in shoulder season, an EV or a second refrigerator will all show up here.
Rate increases
Rate changes are filed with the state commission and take effect on a published schedule. Your bill will note the reset.
Your supplier
You can buy supply from a third party while RG&E still delivers it. A supplier contract that rolled off a teaser rate onto a variable one is the most common cause of a bill that jumped with no change in usage. Compare the supply line against the RG&E default rate.
What a roof does against it
Production against your own rate
This part of New York averages about 3.8 peak sun hours a day, so a kilowatt of panels produces roughly 1,110 kilowatt-hours a year. A 9 kW system makes around 9,990 kilowatt-hours annually — about an amount that depends entirely on the rate you actually pay at the current rate.
That is production value, not a savings figure. What you actually keep depends on how much of it you use directly versus export, what RG&E credits exports at, and what you pay for the system. Under a power purchase agreement there is no upfront cost and you buy the production at an agreed rate instead.
The residential federal tax credit (25D) ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.
You will still see ads promising a 30% credit that “ends December 31.” Read the date on them. If you buy a system today as a homeowner, you cannot claim that credit. What remains under 48E applies to the owner of the system — which, under a PPA, is us. SolarAmerica does not provide tax advice; talk to your tax professional about your situation.
Every figure here is an estimate built from published rates and modeled production. It is not a savings guarantee, and no solar company can honestly give you one. Your actual result depends on your roof, your usage and what your utility charges next year.
Who you would be working with
SolarAmerica
We design your system and manage the project; installation is performed by vetted licensed partners in your area. SolarAmerica is not itself the installing contractor.
Questions
The things people actually ask
Why is my RG&E bill so high?
RG&E does not publish a single all-in residential rate. If your usage has not changed and the bill has, the cause is the rate or your third-party supplier contract.
How much is RG&E per kWh?
We do not publish one. Divide your bill total by the kilowatt-hours used. Your own bill divided by your kilowatt-hours is the exact figure for your account.
Can I switch away from RG&E?
Not for delivery — that is set by your address. You can buy supply from a third party while RG&E still delivers it.
Would solar cover my whole bill?
Almost certainly not all of it. You stay connected, you keep a customer charge, and you draw at night. Solar offsets a portion of usage, and how large a portion depends on your roof.
Compare a fixed rate to RG&E
About 60 seconds. No cost, no obligation, and we will tell you if solar does not make sense for your home.
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