The 20-year fork: Netting or Buy-All
Connecticut replaced net metering with Residential Renewable Energy Solutions, and enrollment locks your choice for 20 years.
Netting
Exports credit at the full retail rate against supply and delivery. The 2026 catch: projects applying this year also pay a 4.02 cent per kWh charge on everything the system produces, exported or not.
Buy-All
Every kWh the system makes is sold to Eversource at a fixed 32.89 cents (2026 vintage), paid as bill credits or quarterly cash, and the utility keeps the RECs. Your own usage is then billed normally, about 23.6 cents volumetric.
High rates, and a rare down year
Eversource Energy (Connecticut)'s average residential electricity price has risen from 20.03 cents per kWh in 2015 to 28.51 cents in 2024, an increase of about 42 percent, or roughly 4.0 percent per year. The chart shows Eversource CT's average residential price by year. Hover any point for the exact figure.
Current residential rates
Eversource CT residential rates are shown below, from the utility's published tariffs and the public Utility Rate Database. Rates vary by plan, season, and usage and change over time.
| Plan | Energy charge | Fixed / basic |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Rate 1, Standard Service, July to December 2026 | About 23.6 cents/kWh all-in volumetric: an 11.58 cent Standard Service supply rate (reset every January and July) plus roughly 12.0 cents of delivery, transmission, and public benefits charges. | $9.62/month customer service charge |
2026 has been a rare good year for Connecticut bills: a 4.3 cent per kWh delivery side decrease landed May 1 and the Standard Service supply rate fell to 11.58 cents on July 1, a combined drop the state consumer counsel puts at about $38 a month, or 18 percent. The supply rate resets again January 1, 2027, and Connecticut supply prices have historically swung hard between winter and summer periods.
RRES: the two-tariff system
Connecticut replaced classic net metering with Residential Renewable Energy Solutions, which makes new solar owners pick one of two 20 year tariffs at enrollment. Netting credits exported power at the full retail rate against supply and delivery charges, but projects applying in 2026 also pay a 4.02 cent per kWh charge on total solar production. Buy-All instead sells every generated kWh to the utility at a fixed 32.89 cents per kWh for 2026 applicants, paid as bill credits or quarterly cash, with the utility keeping the renewable energy certificates. Which option wins depends on how much of your production you can consume on site, and the 20 year rate lock makes the enrollment year decision unusually consequential.
Running the 20-year fork honestly
Connecticut's rates remain among the highest in the continental US even after 2026's unusual decreases, which keeps the underlying solar case strong: offsetting 23 to 25 cent power adds up fast.
The RRES choice deserves real arithmetic. Buy-All's fixed 32.89 cents beats retail today, but it is locked for 20 years while retail rates move; Netting tracks retail wherever it goes but carries the 2026 production charge. Homes that consume most of their production usually lean Netting, heavy exporters lean Buy-All, and the right answer depends on your usage pattern, so get a site-specific quote.
What rising Eversource CT rates could cost you
Eversource CT rates have risen about 4.0% per year. Enter your bill to see what that pace of increase could compound to over time, and what you have likely already absorbed. This is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Estimate only. Projects your current bill forward at Eversource CT's historical average rate increase (4.0% per year, from EIA data); it assumes your usage stays the same except for any add-ons you select. Actual rates depend on your usage, rate plan, and the utility's future filings, and are not guaranteed. This is general information, not financial advice.
Eversource CT service area
Eversource CT serves 157 of Connecticut's 169 cities and towns, including Hartford, Stamford, and most of the state outside the United Illuminating territory around New Haven and Bridgeport. Operates as The Connecticut Light and Power Company..
To confirm whether a specific address is served by Eversource CT, check your electricity bill. A ZIP lookup tool is coming to this site.
Full data and sources
Per-utility prices are computed from EIA Form 861 (bundled residential revenue divided by sales), which reconciles to the EIA's published figures. These are public-domain U.S. government data.
| Year | Eversource CT (c/kWh) |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 20.03 |
| 2016 | 19.24 |
| 2017 | 19.47 |
| 2018 | 20.32 |
| 2019 | 21.22 |
| 2020 | 21.55 |
| 2021 | 21.3 |
| 2022 | 25.48 |
| 2023 | 31.63 |
| 2024 | 28.51 |
Sources: EIA Form 861, Sales to Ultimate Customers (2015 to 2024) · CT Office of Consumer Counsel, July 2026 Standard Service advisory · Eversource, Summary of Connecticut Electric Rates · Eversource, Residential Renewable Energy Solutions
FAQ
Did Eversource rates really go down in 2026?
Yes. A 4.3 cent per kWh delivery-side decrease took effect May 1, 2026, driven largely by lower public benefits charges, and the Standard Service supply rate fell from 12.64 to 11.58 cents on July 1. The state consumer counsel put the combined change at about 38 dollars a month, or 18 percent.
Does Connecticut still have net metering?
Not in the classic form. New solar enrolls in Residential Renewable Energy Solutions and picks either Netting, retail-rate export credits plus a 4.02 cent per kWh production charge for 2026 applicants, or Buy-All, a fixed 32.89 cents per kWh for all production. The chosen tariff runs 20 years.
What does Eversource electricity actually cost per kWh?
For a Standard Service customer in the July to December 2026 period, about 23.6 cents per kWh volumetric, an 11.58 cent supply rate plus roughly 12 cents of delivery and public charges, plus a 9.62 dollar monthly customer charge. Supply resets every January 1 and July 1.
Is the Buy-All rate guaranteed?
The 32.89 cent figure applies to approved 2026 applications and locks for the 20-year term at enrollment. Later enrollment years get whatever rate is then in effect, which is why the year you apply matters more in Connecticut than in most states.