Connecticut RRES Program Explained
Net Metering Ended in 2022. Here's What Replaced It.
Connecticut's Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) program is how CT solar owners earn value for their production — but most homeowners are confused about the difference between the two tariff options, the 2026 Solar Energy Adjustment, and which choice actually earns them more money. This is the guide that explains all of it plainly.
What Is RRES and Why Did Net Metering End?
Connecticut's original net metering program allowed solar owners to bank excess production as credits at the full retail rate indefinitely. PURA sunset new enrollments into the old program in 2022, replacing it with the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) tariff structure — a more structured approach that the utility commission argued better reflects the actual grid costs and benefits of distributed solar.
RRES offers two distinct tariff options — the Netting Tariff and the Buy-All Tariff — both with 20-year rate locks. The choice between them is made at interconnection and cannot generally be changed. Understanding both is essential before your installer submits your application.
Key point: If you enrolled in CT's old net metering before 2022, you are grandfathered and not subject to the new RRES tariff or the 2026 Solar Energy Adjustment. This guide applies to new solar enrollments in 2026.
Netting Tariff vs Buy-All Tariff: Side-by-Side
These are two fundamentally different billing structures. The choice has a 20-year financial impact.
| Factor | Netting Tariff | Buy-All Tariff |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Solar powers your home first; excess goes to grid for credits | 100% of production exported to grid; you buy all electricity at retail |
| Credit / payment rate | Full retail rate (~$0.29–$0.30/kWh) | $0.3289/kWh fixed rate |
| Solar Energy Adjustment | Yes — $0.0402/kWh on all production (new 2026 enrollments) | No — not subject to this charge |
| Effective credit rate (2026) | ~$0.25–$0.26/kWh net | $0.3289/kWh guaranteed |
| Rate lock term | 20 years from enrollment | 20-year contract |
| Monthly bill impact | Reduces or eliminates bill; excess credits roll forward | Separate production payment; you pay full retail for usage |
| Best for | Systems sized to offset 80–100% of home usage | Oversized systems exporting >60% of production |
| Annual credit reconciliation | Excess annual credits paid at avoided-cost rate (lower) | All production paid at $0.3289/kWh — no reconciliation |
Which Tariff Is Right for You?
Choose Netting Tariff if…
- Your system is sized to offset 80–100% of your annual electricity usage
- You have significant daytime electricity load (work from home, home appliances running during the day, EV charging)
- You want to minimize your monthly electric bill rather than maximize production payment
- Your self-consumption ratio is likely to be 50%+ of total production
Best for: Most CT homeowners — the Netting Tariff is the right default because self-consumption is valued at the full retail rate with no Solar Energy Adjustment applied to that portion.
Consider Buy-All Tariff if…
- Your system significantly oversizes relative to your usage — export ratio above 60% of production
- You have very low daytime electricity load (away from home most of the day, minimal daytime appliance use)
- You qualify for an EJ or distressed municipality adder that makes the Buy-All rate particularly competitive
- You prefer a guaranteed flat production payment over bill credit variability
Note: Buy-All is not subject to the $0.0402/kWh Solar Energy Adjustment, making it comparatively more attractive than before for high-export situations.
Demand a tariff comparison from your installer. Reputable CT installers will model your actual usage data under both tariffs before recommending one. If an installer defaults to Netting without running the numbers, that's a gap in their service — ask explicitly for the Buy-All comparison.
The 2026 Solar Energy Adjustment: Plain-English Explanation
per kWh produced
Applied to all production for new RRES Netting enrollments — not just exported excess
PURA approved the Solar Energy Adjustment as a mechanism to recover grid costs associated with distributed solar — specifically, the fixed infrastructure costs that solar owners still use (distribution lines, transformer maintenance, metering) but previously didn't pay for through volumetric charges when self-consuming solar rather than buying from the grid.
$482/yr
Annual Solar Energy Adjustment cost
10kW system, 12,000 kWh/yr production
~$0.26/kWh
After adjustment, on exported production
Effective Netting credit rate (was $0.30)
$0.3289/kWh
Unaffected by Solar Energy Adjustment
Buy-All rate (no adjustment)
Bottom line: The Solar Energy Adjustment reduces CT solar economics modestly for new Netting enrollments, but does not change the fundamental investment thesis. At an effective credit rate of $0.26/kWh on exported production and full retail value on self-consumed production, solar still pays back well in Connecticut's high-electricity-cost environment.
RRES Rate Adders: Income-Qualified & Community Programs
Connecticut adds bonus payment rates on top of the base RRES rates for eligible households and locations. These adders can significantly improve solar economics for qualifying homeowners — and many are unaware they exist.
Environmental Justice (EJ) Community Adder
Eligible: Homeowners located in a PURA-designated Environmental Justice community
Added to both Netting and Buy-All rates for qualifying locations. EJ communities are designated by PURA based on income and environmental burden data. Check your eligibility via the CT DEEP EJ mapping tool.
Distressed Municipality Adder
Eligible: Homeowners in PURA-designated distressed municipalities (Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury, New Haven, and others)
Additional rate adder for qualifying distressed municipalities, stacked on top of base rates and any EJ adder. Specific adder rates are set per PURA docket and may vary by enrollment cycle.
Income-Eligible Customer Adder
Eligible: Households qualifying for Eversource/UI low-income electric rate programs (LIHEAP, Connecticut Energy Assistance Program)
The largest single adder in the RRES program. Income-eligible customers receive a significantly higher base rate, improving economics for qualifying low-income households and supporting solar access equity goals. Your installer submits income qualification documentation to the utility.
Ask your installer to check your adder eligibility before signing. A homeowner in Hartford (distressed municipality + EJ community) who qualifies for the income-eligible adder can receive a Buy-All rate of $0.3289 + $0.05 + $0.02 + $0.08 = $0.4789/kWh — nearly double the retail electricity rate. These adders are real and impactful, but many installers don't check for them.
Eversource vs United Illuminating: Same RRES, Different Process
Eversource Energy
- Territory
- Most of CT — Hartford, Fairfield (most), Litchfield, Tolland, Windham, Middlesex, New London counties
- Distribution rate
- ~$0.30/kWh (distribution, 2026)
- Interconnection timeline
- 4–8 weeks interconnection
- Meter installation
- Bidirectional meter installation by Eversource — typically no homeowner cost
Eversource online portal for interconnection applications. Generally the smoother process of the two utilities. Solar Energy Adjustment applies to new Netting enrollments.
United Illuminating (Avangrid)
- Territory
- New Haven, Bridgeport, Derby, Ansonia, West Haven, Milford, Shelton, Stratford, and surrounding towns
- Distribution rate
- ~$0.29/kWh (distribution, 2026)
- Interconnection timeline
- 6–10 weeks interconnection
- Meter installation
- UI requires a separate smart meter installation (additional step vs. Eversource); may involve a UI field visit
UI processes applications through ui.com. Historically takes 2–4 weeks longer than Eversource. Same Solar Energy Adjustment applies. Ensure your installer has UI interconnection experience specifically.
Step-by-Step: How RRES Enrollment Works
Your installer handles most of this — but knowing the steps helps you ask the right questions.
Get a solar assessment and select your system
Your installer sizes the system, selects your RRES tariff option (Netting or Buy-All), and checks your eligibility for adders (EJ community, distressed municipality, income-eligible).
Installer submits interconnection application
Your installer submits the Eversource or United Illuminating interconnection application on your behalf. This triggers the utility's engineering review. Timeline: 4–8 weeks for Eversource, 6–10 weeks for UI.
Receive Permission to Operate (PTO)
After interconnection approval and a utility inspection of the installed system, your utility issues a Permission to Operate. Do not turn on your system before PTO — doing so can violate your interconnection agreement.
RRES enrollment processed by utility
Your utility automatically enrolls you in the RRES tariff selected during interconnection. The 20-year rate lock begins from your first interconnection date, not your installation date.
Receive first RRES-credited bill
Your first bill after PTO will reflect RRES netting credits or Buy-All production payments. Eversource and UI show solar production, self-consumption, and net export as separate line items on your bill.
Annual reconciliation (Netting customers only)
At your RRES anniversary date, any remaining credit balance that hasn't been applied to your bill is paid out at the utility's avoided-cost rate — typically $0.04–$0.08/kWh, much lower than the retail rate. Properly sized systems minimize this end-of-year reconciliation.