Beginning in 2025, the Illinois net metering program will undergo some changes, but it is not “going away.”
Net metering is a policy which allows solar customers to receive a credit on their utility bill for excess solar production. Near the end of the installation process, your utility will either reprogram or replace your current electric meter with a net meter which spins in reverse to account for solar production. Engineers create a custom design for every location to determine exactly how many panels it would take to offset your current electrical consumption.
If your system was installed prior to these updates taking effect, your rates will not be affected. For customers whose systems were installed after December 31st, 2024, utility bill credits work a little differently:
The credit amount will be equal to the electric supply rate on your bill.
Credits can only be applied to the Supply portion of your utility bill.
All unused credits roll over to the next month and no longer have an expiration date.
