Reading Your Electricity Bill

This page will help you better understand your electricity bill so you can learn how rooftop solar can save you money.

The first step to understanding how rooftop solar can save you money is by knowing how much electricity you use and how much you pay for it each month.

Review our sample residential bill [PDF] to:

• Find where to look for your total electric usage
• Learn about what certain terms mean (like the difference between basic service and delivery charges)
• Learn which parts of your bill would decrease if you go solar

If you install solar on your home on or after January 1, 2022 you will see a new, non-bypassable charge on your electric utility bill called the Customer Benefit Contribution (CBC). The CBC is calculated based on your electric solar system size in kilowatts (kW), with a per kW-month rate calculated annually by your utility. Funds collected through the CBC go to Public Benefit Programs including low income, energy efficiency, and clean energy programs. CBC rates change annually, and the current rates are available here [PDF]. Your solar installer will be able to provide you with information on what your electric bill will look like with solar and the CBC. If an expansion is made to an existing PV system that was interconnected prior to January 1, 2022, the CBC rate will apply to both the existing and expanded solar PV system.

For additional background on the CBC, view NYSERDA’s Overview of Customer Benefit Contribution (CBC) Webinar .

Once you’ve got a better understanding of your electricity bill, find a contractor to see how solar can help you lower it.