National Grid New York Lighting Incentives
National Grid lighting incentives in Upstate New York currently carry a 25 percent bonus on lighting projects in the Large Commercial and Industrial Electric Program, covering Prescriptive, Custom, Lighting Express, and Illuminating Excellence. It applies to projects paid in 2025 or eligible for payment in 2026, which makes it live for work you are quoting now. The catch is stacking. Instant incentives taken through the On The Spot program at the distributor counter cannot be combined with other National Grid energy efficiency offerings. Choosing the wrong path costs your customer the bonus. This guide covers which route fits which job.
Live bonus: 25% on qualifying lighting projects
National Grid is currently running a 25% bonus incentive on lighting projects paid in 2025 or eligible for payment in 2026, across Prescriptive, Custom, Lighting Express, and Illuminating Excellence. That's worth checking before you finalize a 2026 quote.
Last verified: July 2026
Start here
Which National Grid lighting track applies to your job.
Upstate New York runs four lighting incentive options inside the Large Commercial and Industrial Electric Program. Three are covered here; the fourth, a distributor counter option, is covered separately below.
If your project is · Track · What it means for the quote
Standard fixture replacement, existing facility Prescriptive Fixed rebate amounts per qualifying measure. The simplest path for most retrofit jobs.
Larger or non-standard scope Custom Based on calculated or modeled energy savings rather than a fixed per-fixture amount. Higher ceiling, more documentation.
New construction, major renovation, or addition Illuminating Excellence Built around Lighting Power Density code allowances, not a standard existing-building retrofit case.
The current bonus
What the 25% bonus actually covers.
25%
Bonus incentive on any lighting project paid in 2025 or eligible for payment in 2026, across all four Large C&I lighting program types.
Auto-checked
National Grid's application now automatically checks eligibility and calculates the enhanced incentive, reducing the manual math risk on your end.
No stacking
Incentives from this program cannot be combined with other National Grid energy efficiency offerings on the same measure.
Pre-approval
Prescriptive and Custom projects need approval before equipment is ordered. Confirm timing before committing to an install date.
Controls, inside the same application
Where lighting controls fit into a National Grid quote.
Check the
catalog
Occupancy sensors, daylight controls, and networked lighting controls are eligible measures under both Prescriptive and Custom, calculated within the same rebate application rather than paid as a separate flat rebate. Because the qualified products list and per-measure amounts update periodically, and the 25% bonus changes the math further, confirm current figures before you put a controls number in a proposal.
Two other paths worth knowing
The distributor counter option, and the small business audit.
On The Spot
An instant incentive issued right at a participating distributor's counter, for non-residential electric metered customers in National Grid's Upstate NY territory who pay the System Benefits Charge. Products must be on the qualified products list, and equipment must be installed within 30 days of purchase. Installations may be randomly inspected.
Small Business
No-cost facility audits for small business customers with a 12-month average demand under 110kW, plus direct installation of efficiency measures and on-bill or third-party financing options. Worth checking before you price a standard retrofit for a smaller account.
How to put a National Grid rebate in a proposal without overpromising.
The final incentive, including whether the current 25% bonus applies, isn't confirmed until National Grid reviews the application. That's true even with the auto-check tool, since it still runs after submission, not at the quoting stage. Show your estimate, name the track it assumes, and mark it clearly as pending review. LumaQuote tracks that assumption per project and marks every incentive line in the exported PDF or Word proposal as an estimate.
Before you send the quote
Quoting checklist for a National Grid New York lighting job.
1
Confirm the account is in National Grid's Upstate NY electric territory, not a Downstate or Long Island account.
2
Confirm whether Prescriptive, Custom, or Illuminating Excellence best fits the project scope.
3
Check whether the project qualifies for the current 25% bonus, based on the payment date.
4
Don't combine this program's incentive with another National Grid energy efficiency offering on the same measure.
5
For small, straightforward jobs, check whether the On The Spot program at a participating distributor is a faster fit.
6
Confirm the customer pays the System Benefits Charge, a requirement for On The Spot eligibility.
7
Confirm every proposed product is on National Grid's qualified products list before you spec it.
8
For small business customers under 110kW average demand, check the no-cost audit and direct-install program first.
9
Submit for pre-approval before ordering equipment on Prescriptive or Custom projects.
10
Label every incentive figure in the proposal as an estimate pending National Grid's application review.
Build a National Grid ready proposal in LumaQuote.
Canada and US utility rates built in, rebate assumptions tracked per project, and a PDF or Word proposal out the other end.
FAQ
National Grid New York lighting incentives: common questions.
Is National Grid offering a bonus on lighting incentives right now?
Yes, currently. National Grid is running a 25 percent bonus incentive on lighting projects paid in 2025 or eligible for payment in 2026, applying across the Prescriptive, Custom, Lighting Express, and Illuminating Excellence programs within the Large Commercial and Industrial Electric Program. Confirm the project's payment timing against the current offer before including it in a quote.
What is the difference between Prescriptive and Custom lighting incentives?
Prescriptive incentives pay fixed rebate amounts for standard, qualifying fixture replacements, and are the simplest path for a typical retrofit. Custom incentives are based on calculated or modeled energy savings rather than a fixed per-fixture amount, and generally suit larger or non-standard projects where the savings justify a higher payout.
What is Illuminating Excellence, and when does it apply?
Illuminating Excellence is built for new construction, major renovations, and additions where Lighting Power Density code allowances apply, rather than a straightforward existing-building retrofit. If the project isn't touching new construction or a major renovation, it likely belongs under Prescriptive or Custom instead.
Can I combine National Grid's lighting incentive with other National Grid programs?
No. Incentives from National Grid's lighting programs cannot be combined with other National Grid energy efficiency offerings on the same measure. Confirm a customer isn't already receiving a different National Grid incentive for the same equipment before you quote this one.
Can I show the National Grid incentive amount in my customer proposal?
Yes, but label it as an estimate. National Grid's application reviews eligibility and calculates the incentive, including whether the current bonus applies, only after submission. LumaQuote tracks the rebate assumption per project and marks every incentive figure in the exported proposal as an estimate, not a guarantee.
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