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Rhode Island · Updated August 2026
Rhode Island electric rates in 2026
What every Rhode Island utility actually charges, where the number comes from, and what it means for your bill.
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Questions
The things people actually ask
What is the average electricity rate in Rhode Island?
About 29.5 cents per kilowatt-hour all-in, the fifth highest in the nation and roughly 72% above the national average. Rhode Island Energy's Standard Offer supply rate is 14.77 cents effective October 1; delivery, transmission and riders roughly double it. Your own bill divided by your kilowatt-hours is the number that applies to you.
Is solar worth it in Rhode Island?
At 29.5 cents a kilowatt-hour, yes for most well-oriented roofs. A kilowatt of panels produces roughly 1,197 kWh a year here, so a 9 kW system is worth about $3,178 annually at retail before incentives. The decision that matters is REG tariff versus net metering plus the REF grant, because you choose once and it runs 15 to 20 years.
Does Rhode Island have net metering?
Yes, at roughly 80% of the retail rate since April 2023, down from full retail. It runs alongside the Renewable Energy Fund grant. The alternative is the Renewable Energy Growth tariff, which pays a fixed per-kilowatt-hour price instead. You pick one; they do not stack.
Estimate what solar does against your Rhode Island electric bill
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.
Every utility, side by side
What Rhode Island homeowners pay
| Utility | All-in rate | Full breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Residential average | 29.46¢ | EIA, August 2026 |
| National average | 18.44¢ | Rhode Island runs about 60% higher |
| Regional average | 25.91¢ | New England, 38% above national |
| Market | Deregulated | Supply can be shopped |
Figures as published August 2026. Each utility resets on its own schedule — check your bill for the rate on your account.
The production side
What a roof in Rhode Island produces
Rhode Island averages about 4.1 peak sun hours a day. A well-oriented kilowatt of panels produces roughly 1,197 kilowatt-hours a year. A typical 9 kW residential system therefore produces around 10,773 kilowatt-hours annually, which at a rate near 29.5¢ is worth roughly $3,178 a year before any incentive.
Those are pre-shading figures. Trees, roof pitch and orientation move them, sometimes a lot, which is why we read your specific roof rather than quoting a state average at you.
What has actually moved
| Utility | Change | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island Energy | 14.77¢ supply | Standard Offer, effective October 1 — supply is roughly half the bill |
| Rhode Island all-in | ~29.5¢ | 5th highest in the nation, about 72% above the national average |
| Net metering credit | ~80% of retail | Reduced from 100% in April 2023 |
What Rhode Island actually offers a homeowner
Rhode Island gives you one decision to make, and you make it once. The Renewable Energy Growth tariff pays a fixed 31.55¢ per kilowatt-hour for 15 years on systems up to 15 kW, or 28.65¢ for 20 years on 15–25 kW. The alternative is net metering at roughly 80% of retail plus a Renewable Energy Fund grant of $0.65 per watt, capped at $5,000, with a $2,000 adder if you add a battery. Equipment is exempt from the 7% sales tax. The federal residential credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025.
How export credit works in Rhode Island
Two structures, and they exclude each other. REG pays a fixed tariff on everything you produce for 15 or 20 years, regardless of whether you use it. Net metering credits exports at about 80% of retail against your bill and you keep the REF grant. At a 29.5¢ all-in rate the net metering credit is roughly 23.6¢ per exported kilowatt-hour; REG pays 31.55¢ on every kilowatt-hour but you buy back what you use at retail. Which wins depends on how much you use during the day — REG versus net metering, worked through.
How Rhode Island works
Why the number is what it is
Rhode Island Energy is the state's investor-owned utility. Rhode Island is a deregulated market, so you can shop the supply portion of your bill.
Rhode Island residential rates average 29.46 cents per kilowatt-hour — fourth highest in the country and roughly 60% above the national average of 18.44 cents. Six of the ten most expensive states are in New England.
The honest cost picture
Two ways to pay for solar
If you buy the system you own the equipment, keep any renewable credits, and carry maintenance. If you use a PPA it is $0 upfront — we install and own the system, you buy the power it produces, and you only pay for what it actually generates.
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. 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.
Who you would be working with
SolarAmerica
Sources
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page is drawn from a public filing or a published rate schedule. We update it when the utility resets.
- Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission — rate filings
- ISO New England — wholesale market data
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Electric Power Monthly
Last updated August 2026.
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Local detail
Solar by county in Rhode Island
Every Rhode Island county has its own page with local towns, ZIP codes, peak sun hours and production math against the rate above. 5 in total.