EAP & Community Solar
You may automatically qualify for electric bill credits if you’re enrolled in our Energy Affordability Program (EAP) and reside within a disadvantaged community. Thanks to Statewide Solar for All (S-SFA) and Renewable Energy Access and Community Help (REACH), community solar participation is easier than ever.
How it works:
Starting December 2025, Energy Affordability Program (EAP) customers living in a disadvantaged community will automatically receive additional monthly bill credits.
You don’t need to take any action—these credits will appear on your bill as “S-SFA/REACH” and won’t affect other assistance you may receive, like EAP credits or Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) grants.
The total credit amount is based on energy produced by participating renewable sources (like wind and solar farms). These credits are pooled together and evenly shared among all eligible customers.
1. Developers register their projects to provide solar credits.
2. We pay the developers for the electricity produced by the projects.
3. The remaining portion of the payment is pooled together and evenly distributed as credits to program participants
4. Automatic enrollment if you are an electric customer, receive EAP and live in a designated disadvantaged community.
5. You receive a fixed amount of savings each month on your electric bill.
Frequently asked questions
Criteria determining disadvantaged communities is identified by the Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG). To find out if your residence is listed within a disadvantaged community, visit NYSERDA.
Bill credit amounts are determined based on participating renewable generation facilities and the number of participating customers. Credits from both programs are combined and evenly distributed to participants, appearing on your bill as a single line item S-SFA/REACH.
Annually, the amount of solar credits contributed by renewable generation facilities, as well as the number of customers enrolled in EAP who reside within a disadvantaged community will be used to calculate the monthly credit for the upcoming program year. S-SFA credits are recalculated beginning December 1 of each year, while REACH credits are recalculated beginning January 1 of each year. As a result, eligible customers may see their bill credit amounts change in these months.
If you’re eligible but don’t want to participate, you can opt out at any time. Please contact us at 800.743.2110 if you’d like to opt out of the program.
Additional opportunities to save
Did you know you can subscribe to a community solar program for additional opportunities to reduce your electricity bill? Learn more about how to find a project, compare providers and get started with NYSERDA’s find a community solar project tool.
Assistance programs
If you need help managing your bill, we can help. Visit our Help with Bill page and check out the assistance programs available to our customers.