Distributed Generation refers to generation facilities supplementing on-site load or non-centralized electric power production facilities interconnected at the distribution side of an electric power system. Solar, wind, micro-hydroelectric, micro-CHP and fuel cell are some examples of DG technologies.

Community Distributed Generation (CDG), (also known as community renewable energy), is when renewable energy (solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric systems) is installed at one location and customers (subscribers) can purchase renewable electricity from such a project to be applied as a credit to their electric bill.

The parties involved in a CDG are the “CDG Host”, who owns or operates the renewable energy facility, and the “CDG Subscribers”, who are electric utility customers that agree to accept renewable generation credits from their host on their electric bill, and the utility, facilitating the delivery and credit allocation.

An account that has a DG system installed (i.e. net-metered) cannot enroll as a CDG Subscriber.

Central Hudson does not develop or own CDG projects directly. We only allow CDG projects that are developed by companies approved by the New York Department of Public Service to interconnect to the grid. A list of these developers can be found at http://documents.dps.ny.gov/PTC/der.

Some of these developers use third party companies for their marketing and billing so if you are approached by one of these companies about participating in a CDG project you may need to ask for the name of the developer to verify information. To participate in a CDG project you must sign up directly with the CDG developer or its marketing affiliate, Central Hudson cannot enroll or disenroll you in a CDG project.

How Does Community Solar Work?  Visit How it Works - NYSERDA to learn more.

Visit our Community CDG web page to learn more.

For billing and metering questions, please contact our Customer Service Department at (845) 452-2700, or by email to PVmetering@cenhud.com.

For technical and interconnection application questions, please contact our Electric Distribution Planning & Interconnections Department at (845) 486-5215 or by email to DG@cenhud.com.

Net metering (or net energy metering, NEM) is a solar incentive that allows customers to send excess electricity from their DG system (i.e. solar panels) back to the utility grid and is achieved by allowing a customer's meter to spin in the reverse and forward directions. When the customer's generator is producing less energy than the customer is using, the electric meter will measure the energy passing from the utility to the customer and spin in the forward direction. When the customer's generator is producing more energy than the customer is using, the electric meter will measure the excess energy passing from the customer to the utility and spin in the backward direction. The surplus energy is subtracted, or "netted," from the energy supplied by the utility to the customer, thus "net metered."

Net metering eligibility is determined by New York Public Service Law (PSL) §66-j and PSL §66-l. You may refer to the New York State Standardized Interconnection Requirements (NYSSIR) or our VDER Compensation Eligibility for New Applications summary chart.

Remote Net Metering permits customers to designate an account where a net metering eligible resource (solar, wind, farm waste) is located ("Host Account") and then designates accounts where the customer would like to apply excess net metering credits ("Satellite Accounts") from the Host Account. The customer may designate all or a portion of the excess net metering credits generated by the Host Account to be applied to Satellite Accounts. Remote net metering is offered to non-residential and farm accounts, and both the Host and Satellite accounts must be registered under the same ownership.

Remote Net Metering has been replaced with Remote Crediting and is not available to new interconnections.

Remote Crediting is a program that enables the generation of renewable energy at one location to be credited to the electricity bill of another. Through this program, a generator host can designate up to ten satellite customers to receive these credits. The host itself must be one of these customers if it wants credits applied to its bill, while the other nine can be unrelated and may include multiple accounts for each satellite customer.

You can also register as a Remote Crediting satellite to receive credits from a Remote Crediting host.

RC satellites can participate in the following:

• Multiple RC projects
• Have onsite generation

RC Satellites CANNOT participate in CDG or RNM or be a RC Host.

Most contractors offer you the opportunity to sign an agent authorization letter and will submit the interconnection application on your behalf.

In order to receive funding through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), you must use a NYSERDA-approved installer. A list of eligible solar and wind installers can also be found on NYSERDA’s website.

Applications are submitted online via PowerClerk, Central Hudson’s Interconnection Online Application Portal (IOAP). Need help? View the PowerClerk Tutorial.

Please note that if you are applying as a Remote Crediting or Community DG “Host”, they require separate applications for interconnection and billing approvals.

State and federal incentives exist for a variety of renewable energy sources. In addition, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) offers incentives to install grid-tied solar and wind generators. NYSERDA also offers loans and on-bill financing options. Please visit their website for more information: www.nyserda.ny.gov.

Central Hudson is not permitted to install customer-owned systems. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) maintains a list of certified contractors and accredited companies which can be found at:  http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Contractors/Find-a-Contractor.

Please check with your local municipality as they may have specific requirements and/or restrictions. All installations must adhere to the National Electrical Code and have a third-party electrical inspection. If you are not a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) certified contractor, you may not qualify for specific incentives/rebates, please contact NYSERDA for more information by phone at 518-862-1090 or 1-866-NYSERDA (Toll free) or email info@nyserda.ny.gov.

Each property is unique, and a certified installer can explain how installing a renewable resource could benefit you.

A certified installer can help you determine the system size best suited for your specific needs.

Yes, electric service will be interrupted during utility outages unless a battery back-up system or stand-by generator is also installed. For safety reasons, DG systems are required to shut down and/or disconnect from the utility grid when an outage occurs to prevent electricity from back feeding into the lines to avoid injury to repair crews and the public.

After construction of the system is completed, your contractor can submit request for a net meter to be installed through the same application portal.  Then they will submit for final interconnection acceptance (permission to operate); this submittal will include proof of a passing electrical inspection, successful verification testing results, and proof of accurate inverter settings applied.  When approval to turn on your system is granted, you will receive an email from us notifying you of such, along with your official approval letter.

Please note that if you are applying as a Remote Crediting or Community DG “Host”, they require separate applications for interconnection and billing approvals.

Central Hudson values environmental protection. This detailed Sustainability Report contains detailed information about Central Hudson's steadfast efforts to minimize our environmental impact.

The New York Independent System Operator oversees energy production and transmission in New York, and assigns power to utilities based on their needs, geographic location and grid conditions. Information on energy sources for electric generation in New York is available through the New York Public Service Commission, under Environmental Disclosure (for the latest information, click on the most recent dates). For more information on renewable energy, see our Green Power page.

Yes. Your budget will be calculated using the past 12-month usage history. You may wish to wait a full year with net metering before enrolling in Budget Billing so that your generation will be apparent in your monthly average.

Any excess generation produced by the system, net of electricity provided by the utility grid, is "deposited" into your generation bank. "Current Generation" and "YTD Generation" are displayed in the "What’s New" section located on the front of Central Hudson's bill. These columns represent the excess generation. In cases when usage is completely offset by the generating system, usage will be billed 0, and there will be no volumetric delivery or supply charges.*

*All customers, with the exception of commercial demand customers, will receive a bill for their basic service charge, even with 0 usage.

Yes, any excess generation (kWh) not used in a billing cycle will be carried over and applied towards your next billing cycle.

Eligible residential net metered accounts are provided with an anniversary date, defined in Central Hudson’s tariff as “the billing period that ends directly on or after twelve (12) months from the time the customer contracted.” Your anniversary date will be the date of the last meter read prior to your DG system’s final interconnection approval. (Example: Last meter reading was Dec 1, final approval was granted on Jan 2, and the next meter read should be Feb 2; the anniversary date would be the date of last meter reading which was Dec 1.) If at the time of anniversary, your account has excess generation from the preceding 12-month period, you will receive a payment. This payment is calculated according to Central Hudson’s tariff as follows: “The difference in the billing period that ends directly on or after twelve (12) months from the time the customer contracted for this service (“anniversary date “) represents net sales to the Company, the Company will pay the customer for this difference at the applicable rate under Service Classification No. 10.”

• Under this method, any excess generation will be reimbursed at the rate determined by the Time Weighted Integrated Locational-Based Marginal Price (LBMP) pricing data supplied by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO). For more information please visit:  http://www.nyiso.com/public/markets_operations. For systems installed after March 9, 2017, credits are applied to the next billing period.  For more information, please visit:  http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/Common/ViewDoc.aspx?DocRefId=%7B5B69628E-2928-44A9-B83E-65CEA7326428%7D
• Residential net metered customer may make a one-time election to select an alternate anniversary date to be effective for all subsequent payments, as applicable. The anniversary date change form can be found on www.centralhudson.com/dg.
• For additional information or questions, contact our Customer Service Department at (845) 452-2700, or by email to PVmetering@cenhud.com.

Accounts compensated under Phase One NEM do not have anniversary dates, as they do not have an annual reconciliation.

Yes. ESCO rates will be used for net power supplied by the utility grid. If you are a residential net metered customer, using an ESCO will have no effect on your reconciliation payment rate, if applicable.

Yes. TOU generation will be recorded as peak and/or off-peak and excess generation will be applied accordingly. TOU excess generation will be paid at the peak or off-peak payout rates under Service Classification Number 6. Please note peak generation is only applied to peak usage and off-peak generation is only applied to off-peak usage.

Submit a complete and signed Application for Remote Crediting to our Customer Service Department by emailing the application to DG@cenhud.com (preferred method) or mail the completed application to the attention of DG Interconnections at: 284 South Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.

Remote crediting is applied as a monetary credit based on the allocation percentage listed in the form submitted by the Customer, after review and approval by Central Hudson. Any excess credit is banked as a monetary credit on the host account until the next billing cycle.

As part of the July 16, 2020, Order Establishing Net Metering Successor in Case 15‐E‐0751, the New York State Public Service Commission developed a Customer Benefit Contribution ("CBC") which is a monthly $/kW DC charge to recover public benefit program costs from mass market and small commercial customers that install behind the meter generation and interconnect on or after January 1, 2022.

This mandated monthly fixed charge supports energy efficiency programs, solar initiatives, and low-income discounts. For details on how this charge is calculated, refer to Central Hudson Gas and Electric Tariff, Leaf 163.9.16.

The CBC charge, which is applicable to customers with on‐site solar, wind or micro‐hydroelectric resources (with demand less than 25 kW), fuel cell, micro‐CHP, and anaerobic digesters will be issued on a separate tariff statement containing the charge by service classification, compensation type and project type. The CBC charge will be updated each January.

The CBC is not applicable to commercial demand‐metered customers with projects under 750 kW, battery storage or projects compensated under Community Distributed Generation (“CDG”) or Remote Crediting programs.

Yes, a new meter will be provided if you qualify for our net metering program. Central Hudson will install a digital net meter with an Encoder Receiver Transmitter (ERT). This device utilizes radio frequency technology to transmit readings to meter readers over a short range and ensures accuracy. These meters operate in both forward and reverse directions to enable net metering.

Your net meter will be installed after your system has been installed and inspected.  Your contractor will submit the net meter request through the same Interconnection Online Application Portal (IOAP), as your interconnection application. 

No, there is no customer cost associated with the installation of the net meter.

If a customer is generating more electricity than is being used, the three squares in the lower right hand corner of the display on the meter will scroll from right to left. When these squares are scrolling from left to right, this indicates that a customer is using more electricity than is being generated.

Yes, Central Hudson offers customers the choice to opt out of an ERT meter and have a digital, non-ERT meter installed instead. This option will require a physical reading by meter readers. If you wish to choose this option, please review the criteria outlined in the contract found on our website using this link. Return the signed contract to the attention of ‘Customer Services-ERT opt out’ prior to the completion of your solar installation.  

For questions regarding the ERT meter opt out, contact our Customer Service Department at (845) 452-2700, or by email to PVmetering@cenhud.com.

Once you are notified by Central Hudson that you have been granted final interconnection approval via email notification with your Final Acceptance Letter attached.  Please contact your installer for directions on how to turn on your specific system. Receiving this approval letter indicates that your installer has verified that your system has been successfully installed and tested, you have the appropriate meter installed and your account has been set up for the DG program you are applying under.

Yes, it is your responsibility to obtain all necessary permits and electrical inspections, as well as ensure that the system passes an interconnection functional test before Central Hudson allows interconnection.

Central Hudson does not perform electrical inspections but does maintain a list of electrical inspectors who have been approved to perform a complete inspection to verify that any electrical work performed on an industrial, commercial, or residential service has been done in compliance with the National Electric Code. A link to the list of Approved Electrical Inspectors list can be found under the Contractors page of our website.

If your solar installation requires access to the meter pan and/or cutting or removing Central Hudson’s seal, you will be required to obtain a permit from your local municipality. Before obtaining this permit, you will need to complete a Central Hudson Data Sheet in order to receive a job number. Please click on this link to access Central Hudson’s contractor requirements and forms. If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to contact our Customer Service Department at 845-452-2700. Please note that Central Hudson does not allow direct taps into Central Hudson’s meter or transformer under any circumstances.

For systems 50 kW or less, if any upgrades are deemed necessary, they will be included in your notification of acceptance to proceed with your proposed installation. Common upgrades for systems 50kW or less include transformer upgrades and secondary service upgrades. For systems above 50 kW up to 5 MW, this will be analyzed during the preliminary screening analysis which may require a supplemental and/or Coordinated Electric System Interconnection Review (CESIR) to finalize the specific upgrades necessary to interconnect your proposed system.

The size of the existing transformer feeding your home or business was originally sized appropriately for the load (kWh usage). In cases where your proposed DG system size exceeds your normal load the existing transformer size may be insufficient. This also includes the aggregate of any existing DG or DG in queue on the transformer prior to your proposed installation. Without upgrading the transformer, the DG system could overload the transformer and cause the customers fed from the transformer to experience high voltage and/or other power quality issues.

The customer is responsible for the cost of transformer upgrade. Check with your contractor, as they may cover this cost on your behalf. For solar systems 25 kW or less, you are responsible for the cost of $350 towards the total cost of the transformer upgrade as determined by the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC). For solar systems above 25 kW up to 5 MW, you are responsible for total cost incurred upgrading the transformer to accommodate your solar system as determined by the NYS PSC. Please refer to Appendix E of the New York State Standardized Interconnection Requirements (NYSSIR) for the transformer upgrade cost responsibilities for other DG technologies.

Payments may be made by check, debit card or credit card. Checks can be made out to Central Hudson and mailed to: Central Hudson, Attn: Cash Processing, 284 South Avenue, Poughkeepsie New York 12601. On the check, please reference the Billing Invoice Number (labeled as “Account Number” on the top right of the invoice). To make a payment over the phone, please call our Customer Service Department at (845) 452-2700. You can pay online with your checking account or credit/debit card by entering your Billing Invoice Number (labeled as “Account Number” on the top right of the invoice) as the “Account Number” then follow the prompts.

Yes, you have the option of submitting a Pre-Application, Appendix D of the NYSSIR, at the cost of $750 prior to submitting a complete interconnection application. If you choose to submit a full application within 15 Business Days of Central Hudson’s pre-application results, the additional $750 interconnection application fee will be waived.