7.79 kW solar installation in Penfield, NY
Penfield · Monroe County, New York
SolarAmerica designed this system and managed the project; a licensed local partner installed it.
- System size7.79 kW
- UtilityRG&E
- RoofShingle
- HomeSingle-family
Home › New York Electric Rates › RG&E
New York · Updated October 2026
RG&E rates in 2026
What RG&E customers are actually paying, where the number comes from, and what it means for your bill. Serving Rochester, Monroe County and the surrounding Finger Lakes region.
Not publishedRG&E does not publish a single all-in residential rateRanked #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.
You use about—
System size to cover it—
Panels, roughly—
Roof area needed—
Your current annual electricity spend—
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 numbers
Where RG&E stands right now
| Measure | Current | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary rates in effect | +2.9% | Typical residential electric bill, about $3.65/mo at 600 kWh, from June 1, 2026 (PSC order May 14, 2026). Final rates still pending |
| Rate increase, May 2025 | +9.9% | Third consecutive annual increase |
| Prior two years combined | +18% | Before the 2025 step |
| NY statewide residential average | 28.55¢ | EIA, March 2026 |
| RG&E all-in residential | low-to-mid 20¢ | Below the state average |
| Wholesale change, Jan 2025 → Jan 2026 | +80% | Under 10¢ to over 17¢ |
RG&E and NYSEG are separately regulated utilities under the same parent, Avangrid. Each has its own tariff schedule.
Figures as published August 2026. Utility rates change on published schedules — check your own bill for the rate that applies to your account.
Why the number is what it is
Three years of increases, not one
RG&E customers in Monroe County and the Rochester area have absorbed increases in three consecutive years. The May 2025 step added about 9.9%, arriving on top of roughly 18% across the prior two years.
RG&E and NYSEG are separately regulated utilities under the same parent company, so their rate cases move on different schedules even when the underlying pressures are the same.
Most of the increase falls on the delivery side of the bill rather than supply. Delivery is the part you cannot shop away by switching suppliers — but it is also the part you stop paying on every kilowatt-hour your own roof produces.
What is actually driving this
Wholesale volatility
Average wholesale electricity in New York went from just under 10 cents per kilowatt-hour in January 2025 to more than 17 cents in January 2026 — an 80% swing driven by tight pipeline infrastructure and reliance on gas-fired generation.
Delivery rate steps
RG&E's delivery rates were set through a joint rate case with NYSEG before the New York PSC, with staged increases in May 2024, May 2025 and May 2026.
Upstate versus downstate
Rochester sits in a NYISO zone where wholesale prices clear below downstate. That keeps supply cheaper than Con Edison territory — but delivery over a less dense footprint is structurally more expensive.
The honest cost picture
Two ways to pay for solar, and they are very different
If you buy the system
You own the equipment, you keep any renewable energy credits, and you carry the maintenance responsibility. Installed pricing varies by roof, shading and system size.
If you use a PPA
$0 upfront. We install and own the system; you buy the power it produces at a rate set in your agreement, and you only pay for what it actually generates. The system owner carries maintenance for the life of the agreement.
How $0-down solar works in New York → · What solar costs in New York →
Cities we cover in this utility area: Solar in Rochester →
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 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.
Going solar with RG&E
RG&E net metering and solar programs
When your panels make more power than your home is using, the extra flows onto RG&E’s grid and is credited on your RG&E bill under New York’s net metering rules. How much each exported kilowatt-hour is worth is set by those rules, and it is one of the biggest factors in how your system should be sized. How net metering works in New York.
Does RG&E have a solar program?
RG&E connects home solar systems to its grid and credits the power you send back, but it does not install panels. State incentives are covered in our New York solar incentives guide, and SolarAmerica handles the RG&E interconnection application for you.
How do I sign up for net metering with RG&E?
There is no separate sign-up. It is set up as part of the interconnection application your installer files with RG&E before your system is turned on, and SolarAmerica files it for you.
$0-down solar in New York → · Solar panel installation cost in New York → · Net metering credit calculator →
Local SolarAmerica installations
Solar installations for RG&E customers
SolarAmerica has installed solar for homeowners served by RG&E. Homes shown here: Penfield (7.79 kW).
What could solar look like for your home?
Your electricity use, utility plan and roof shape your options. Request a review for your home.
Electric bill & solar offset calculator · Solar system size calculator · Solar panel installation cost in New York · All local solar projects
Homeowner names and addresses are kept private. SolarAmerica designs systems and manages projects; licensed partner contractors perform installation.
Who you would be working with
SolarAmerica
#1Ranked by Solar Power World
20,000+Installations completed
16+States with installations
Inc. 5000Fastest-growing companies
We design your system and manage the project; installation is performed by vetted licensed partners in your area.
RG&E questions
The things people actually ask
Is there a New York solar tax credit?
Yes. New York offers a 25% state tax credit capped at $5,000 (form IT-255). It applies to power purchase agreements of ten years or longer and the homeowner claims it personally — which is unusual, and worth asking your tax professional about.
Does solar work in Rochester with the snow?
Yes. Panels generate from light rather than heat and run more efficiently in cold weather. Snow slides off tilted panels within a day or two in most cases, and net metering credits a long June day against a short December one.
Does RG&E offer net metering?
Yes. New York requires investor-owned utilities to offer net metering.
See what your roof and RG&E actually add up to
About 60 seconds. No cost, no obligation, and we will tell you if solar does not make sense for your home.
Ranked #1 by Solar Power World · 20,000+ installations · Licensed installers