NB Power Net-Metering Changes: The October 31, 2026 Deadline

If you're in New Brunswick and thinking about solar, the dates in this filing matter more than anything else this year. Here's what NB Power has proposed, what's still undecided and what to do about the deadline.

Update, October 2026: this page replaces our earlier coverage of a 2025 proposal. The current filing is Matter EL-002-2026.

What has NB Power proposed?

In its Net-Metering Modernization application (Matter EL-002-2026) before the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board, NB Power proposes to:

• pay for exported solar at the "value of solar", meaning its value to the grid at the time it's delivered, instead of crediting each exported kWh at the full retail rate;
• move residential solar customers to a three-part rate: a monthly service charge, a demand charge based on hourly use, and a lower energy charge;
• raise the non-residential size limit from 100 kW to 500 kW, with up to 1 MW by exception;
• start the new terms on April 1, 2027, if approved.

The filing doesn't set the export credit or demand charge amounts in the summary documents we reviewed, so be wary of anyone quoting exact new rates as settled.

Who keeps today's net-metering terms?

Note the word approved. Submitting an application isn't enough; it has to be approved by the cutoff, and NB Power's review takes time.

Is the proposal final?

No. It's an application before the regulator, and the Board can approve it, change it or reject it. The dates could move. Until a decision, NB Power continues to credit exported solar 1:1 at the retail rate.

What should New Brunswick homeowners do?

• If you were already planning solar, ask your installer today whether an approved application by October 31, 2026 is realistic.
• Don't rush into a poorly designed system to beat the date. A system that's wrong for your roof is a bad deal under any rate.
• If you miss the cutoff, solar can still work, but size it to your own daytime use, since exports would likely be worth less. A battery becomes more relevant under a demand charge.
• Check the Board's decision before signing; we'll update this page when it's issued.

Verified October 15, 2026. This application is pending; dates and terms may change. Confirm current status with NB Power or the NBEUB before deciding. General information, not legal or financial advice.