ALBANY – The State Public Service Commission Thursday approved tariff filings of the six investor-owned utilities in New York to encourage the installation of residential micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) and fuel cell electric generating systems that will enable homeowners to sell excess power to the utility.

"By encouraging homeowners to install small-scale renewable energy systems, and to allow the excess power to be sold to the utility, will provide long-term benefits to the environment and the economy," said Commission Chairman Garry Brown. "As a result of our decision today, a homeowner can install these newest technologies and receive a credit from the utility for the excess electricity that's been created, or sell it to the utility and pocket the money - the choice is theirs."

The utilities participating in this net metering initiative include Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., National Grid, New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc., and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation. With the Commission's decision, the tariffs that the utilities have filed will be updated to add to the list of eligible technologies than can be net metered.