An East Providence homeowner can sign a solar contract that pays through the Renewable Energy Growth program or through net metering. Not both. The proposal has to say which one, how long it lasts, and what it assumes about rules that are still being argued at the Public Utilities Commission. That is the whole Rhode Island REG vs net metering question on one page.
This month added a wrinkle. Order 25826 issued October 6, 2026 and approved specified net metering changes for usage from May 12, 2026. It left sections 3.3, 4.12, and 4.21 open. Docket 26-30-EL is still under consideration. A proposal written now should not treat any pending tariff language as if it were in effect.
Rhode Island REG vs net metering is an either-or choice
Both paths run through Rhode Island Energy, which serves East Providence. They are mutually exclusive for the same project.
- REG. The residential REG tariff, 2151-M, was issued March 30 and took effect April 1, 2026. The 2026 enrollment table sets a 15-year term for Small-Scale Solar I and a 20-year term for Small-Scale Solar II.
- Net metering. Credits are governed by the net metering tariff, including the changes approved in Order 25826 and whatever comes out of Docket 26-30-EL.
- No double dipping. The REG tariff prohibits net metering compensation for the same project during the REG term.
- No early switch. A REG certificate cannot be terminated solely to move to net metering before the term ends.
That last point is the one customers miss. If a homeowner picks REG for a known rate and then hears a neighbor talking about net metering, the answer is not a form. It is the rest of the term.
What the East Providence proposal should show
Athol Energy prepares solar sales proposals for installers across New England. We build the numbers the sales rep presents. We do not sign the customer. A Rhode Island proposal that holds up under a second look has these on the first page:
- The path chosen. REG or net metering, written in words, with the tariff number for REG.
- The term. 15 or 20 years for the REG class that applies, or the net metering basis with its effective date.
- The date of the rules. "Assumes tariffs in effect on October 21, 2026. Excludes pending Docket 26-30-EL language." One sentence protects the rep.
- The system size. The same DC and AC size that goes on the interconnection application.
- Grants and incentives. Listed only if the customer is eligible on the chosen path. Confirm current Renewable Energy Fund rules before you add a grant line.
Our post on writing a winning solar sales proposal covers layout. The Rhode Island part is the assumptions block. Without it the payback page is a guess with a logo on it.
Do not price pending docket language
We wrote about the open docket in the post on Rhode Island Energy Docket 26-30-EL, and about the remote cap in the post on the Rhode Island remote net metering cap. The practical rule for a residential proposal is simple. If the language is pending, it does not go into the payback.
You can show a scenario. Label it as a scenario, put it on a separate page, and keep the base case on the rules in effect. A customer who signs on a scenario and later sees a different order will remember the page, not the footnote.
Keep the proposal and the application on one system
The REG enrollment and the interconnection application both carry the system size. So does the permit set. When a design change adds two modules after the proposal is signed, the proposal is now wrong about production. Revise it or note the change in writing. The Renewable Energy Growth program guide covers enrollment steps. This post is only about keeping the numbers aligned.
Questions about REG and net metering in Rhode Island
Can a Rhode Island solar project use REG and net metering at the same time?
No. The residential REG tariff prohibits net metering compensation for the same project during its REG term.
Can a homeowner leave REG early to switch to net metering?
Not for that reason. The REG tariff bars terminating a certificate solely to switch to net metering before the tariff term ends.
What did Order 25826 do?
Order 25826, issued October 6, 2026, approved specified net metering changes for usage from May 12, 2026 and left sections 3.3, 4.12, and 4.21 open. Docket 26-30-EL is still under consideration.
If your Rhode Island proposals still show one payback page with no assumptions block, fix that before the next docket order lands. Rhode Island solar design and proposals from Athol Energy keep the chosen path, the term, and the size consistent. Contact us.