Reading Your Utility Bill After a Solar Installation

Once your solar system is operational, expect to see changes in your utility bill, typically within 1-2 billing cycles. Note that if your system includes a battery or an EV charger, these won’t be individually listed on your bill. 

Following the installation of your solar array, your utility will replace your existing meter with a bidirectional (net) meter. This meter measures both your energy consumption and production. Any energy you generate is available for immediate use, including powering your battery, EV charger, or other household loads. Surplus energy, or ‘overproduction’, is fed back into the utility grid through this meter.

For a clearer understanding of your bill post-net metering installation, refer to your utility’s detailed information below. 

PECO

Every May, Peco issues monetary credits to residential customers with bidirectional meters for their banked energy credits, which can be applied to subsequent bills. To understand this process, customers can refer to two example Peco bills—one with banked credits and one without—and watch an informative video that thoroughly explains the net metering credits and how they impact bills.

Helpful links

• Sample Home Electric Bill | PECO – An Exelon Company
• PECO bill sample: non-banked credits 
• PECO bill sample: banked credits 
• Solar FAQs | PECO – An Exelon Company

PP&L

PPL compensates net metering customers once per year, in May. Each month, they add or subtract energy to your banked balance.

While your own generation meter will measure the total amount you are generating, PPL’s meter will only measure the amount you return from the grid, or the amount you get from the grid. Customers with new advanced meters will see a breakdown of how much electricity was delivered to you and how much was received from you. Customers with traditional meters will see their net energy usage.

Annually in May, PP&L issues payments via check to customers for specific scenarios. This includes instances where adding a third-party supplier necessitates a payout, especially if the supplier doesn’t support net metering. These payments are calculated based on the Price to Compare (PTC) rate at the time of the payout.

See PP&L’s Billing & Usage page for more information.

Met-Ed

None.

JCP&L

Helpful links:

• 2023 Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) Net Metering | EnergySage 
• Jersey Central Power & Light Bill
• Bi-Directional Metering

ACE

Helpful Links:

• ACE Net Metering Bill YouTube Walkthrough
• Net Metering | Atlantic City Electric – An Exelon Company

PSE&G

Helpful Links:

• Solar Power and Net Metering – PSE&G