State affected: Pennsylvania

PECO customers in southeastern Pennsylvania have two separate ways to get money back for going solar — and they are easy to confuse. One is a one-time $500 rebate for the solar system itself. The other is ongoing pay for letting your battery help the grid during peak events. They have different filings, different timelines, and different rules. This post covers both, plus the Pennsylvania context that affects what they are worth.

PECO territory covers Philadelphia and surrounding counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. If you are not a PECO electric customer, the $500 rebate and Flex & Save below do not apply to you — but the Pennsylvania net-metering and SREC sections at the end still do. See Pennsylvania's full list of solar rebates and incentives for programs outside PECO territory.

The $500 solar rebate: one check, one deadline

PECO offers a $500 rebate for residential solar. The applicant must be the owner of a residence that currently receives PECO residential electric service, and the rebate is only available for approved interconnection applications.

The deadline that trips people up is the 90-day filing window. For systems In Service on or after June 1, 2026, the rebate application must be received within 90 days of PECO's In Service status — meaning connected to the grid and generating power. It is the In Service date that starts the clock, not the install date or the contract date.

If the rebate application is approved, you should receive your $500 rebate check in 4–6 weeks after In Service status. PECO lists online filing at peco.com/rebates as the fastest payment option. Keep a copy of your rebate application and terms and conditions.

Funds are limited and subject to availability, and rebate amounts and the program are subject to change, including termination, without prior notice. Verify the current form and terms at peco.com/rebates before you file — do not assume the $500 amount or the 90-day window will stay the same.

Flex & Save: get paid for battery power during peak events

Flex & Save is PECO's battery program. Enrolled customers earn a Reward of $80 per kW based on the average kW delivered by their battery across all Adjustment Events during a given season. To be eligible for a season's Reward, you must remain enrolled through the end of that season.

There are two seasons per calendar year:

• Summer: June, July, and August. Events run June 1 through August 31, generally between 2 pm and 6 pm.
• Winter: January and February. Events run January 1 through February 28 (or February 29 in a leap year), in two periods: 7 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 8 pm.

Events may be called daily on non-holiday weekdays. Final incentive amounts vary on several factors, including the power capacity of your system, system configuration, length of events, maintaining internet connectivity, and average performance delivered throughout the season. That is why no fixed annual payout can be promised — two identical batteries can earn different amounts depending on event hours and performance.

Program funds for Reward payments are limited and subject to change, and the program is subject to change, including termination, without prior notice. Check current eligibility, approved equipment, and enrollment terms on PECO's Flex & Save page before you enroll. Learn how home batteries can save money by charging at night and discharging at peak rates to understand why a battery earns in this program even when you are not in an event.

What this does not replace

There is no single statewide solar rebate that covers every Pennsylvanian — PECO's $500 rebate is utility-specific. What Pennsylvania does have statewide is net metering and a solar credit market, and both affect payback:

• Net metering: Pennsylvania credits exported solar at the full retail rate, 1-to-1, with excess carried forward. The credit year closes May 31, and whatever is left is paid at the Price to Compare, well below retail. Residential net metering is capped at 50 kW, far above a normal rooftop. Size the system to your usage — oversizing means the leftover is paid at the lower rate.
• SRECs (Solar Alternative Energy Credits): Separate money from net metering. You earn one SREC for every 1,000 kWh your qualified system generates, and you sell SRECs through a broker or aggregator. SREC prices fluctuate with the market — do not plan around a single fixed price you saw quoted.
• Federal credit: The 30% federal residential solar credit expired for systems installed after December 31, 2025. Do not plan around it for a new system.

Do not confuse Flex & Save with a separate battery-leasing pilot PECO has proposed for existing solar customers without batteries. That pilot still needs Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approval and is not open for enrollment. Flex & Save is the live program; the leasing pilot is not.

Homeowner checklist for PECO solar + battery

1. Confirm you are in PECO territory and your interconnection application is approved before you file for the rebate.
2. Calendar the 90-day rebate deadline from your In Service date — not your install date or contract date.
3. If you are adding a battery, confirm Flex & Save enrollment and that you will stay enrolled through the end of the season to qualify for that season's Reward.
4. Size for the May 31 net-metering true-up, so excess is not cashed out at the lower Price to Compare.
5. Keep your permit, interconnection approval, In Service confirmation, invoice, and rebate confirmation together.
6. To compare timelines and proposals, get a solar quote.

Bottom line: For PECO customers, the $500 rebate is a one-time filing with a hard 90-day clock, and Flex & Save is ongoing pay that rewards a battery that stays enrolled and performs across events. File the rebate on time, enroll the battery deliberately, and size for Pennsylvania's May 31 true-up — that is where the money is.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Verify current program terms, eligibility, and funding at peco.com/rebates and PECO's Flex & Save page before you file or enroll.

Sources: PECO Home Rebate Program (June 2026 form) via peco.com/rebates; PECO Flex & Save program details.