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Distributed Energy Resources Make-Ready Incentive Frequently Asked Questions

Con Edison met with several developers, NYSERDA and other parties to try to understand some concerns and issues in need of support. It was determined that there was an opportunity to support utility interconnection cost for DG development for low-income customers for non-Community distributed generation. NYSERDA was already launching initiatives supporting low-income customers for Community Distributed Generation, so Con Edison focused on non-CDG to give that program time to mature.

The Low-Income DER Make Ready Program has funding approval under the 2023–2025 rate case and requires interconnection by 2026.
The technologies align with efforts in the state supporting clean energy goals. These technologies are also supported by state and federal incentives, which are stackable with the program.
The low-income designation for projects was to utilize this standard eligibility criteria to also gain access additional energy efficiency and NYSERDA’s support programs.

Projects must undergo CESIR study. The Low-Income DER Make Ready Program team will review the CESIR results with the developer to determine any utility upgrade costs above the maximum incentive that they will be responsible for.

A Low-Income DER Make Ready Program Agreement will be issued to the developer via PowerClerk. This Agreement must be signed and uploaded to PowerClerk within 30 business days of the CESIR results.

The developer must make any payments for utility upgrade costs that they are responsible for per the SIR process.

Con Edison will not write checks to developers. There will be a credit applied to the project not to exceed amount of interconnection costs.

For example: The CESIR study determines that a project with a nameplate capacity of 50kW has utility-sided interconnection upgrade costs of $200,000. Once eligible, this project falls under the “Small” category, which offers maximum capital support of $150,000. Therefore, the Low-Income DER Make Ready Program will credit this project $150,000 and the developer is responsible for the additional $50,000 in upgrade costs.

Alternatively, if the CESIR study determined that the utility-sided interconnection upgrade costs for this project are $100,000, then the project will only be credited up to $100,000 and the developer will not have to pay any additional costs.

No. Eligible projects must have the following criteria:

EV and EV charging are not eligible for this program. However, customers may reach check out our PowerReady Electric Vehicle Program to inquire about EV incentives.

No. The Low-Income DER Make Ready Program team determines eligibility based on AMEEP criteria submitted and will let the applicant know their program approval status within five business days.

The Low-Income DER Make Ready Program team would then refer the applicant to the Multifamily Program where they may be eligible for additional incentives.

Yes. The Low-Income DER Make Ready Program seeks to support qualified projects by providing incentive support to cover all or a portion of utility upgrade costs as a credit for the installation of solar and/or storage distributed energy resources that benefit low-income customers. Therefore, the customer is responsible for all costs outside of this including application fees and CESIR.