What National Grid pays in 2026
National Grid serves electric customers in the Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo and Rochester-area markets we cover on this site. Amounts below are for single-family homes unless noted.
Air-source heat pump, full load
Outside a disadvantaged community, Category 2 pays $4,000, or $8,000 in the Weatherized Tier, and Category 2b with decommissioning pays $7,000 or $12,000. Inside one, Category 2 pays $6,000 or $10,000 and 2b pays $9,000 or $14,000. Apartments and homes under 1,000 sq ft get about half.
Partial-load heat pump
For systems that cover part of the heating load.
Ground-source retrofit
$18,000, or $23,000 in the Weatherized Tier, outside a disadvantaged community; $23,000 or $28,000 inside one.
Heat pump water heater
ENERGY STAR with a UEF rating, claimed through retail or midstream channels.
Whole Home Electrification Program
By invitation only, for a small number of customers in select upstate communities, with a free assessment and a five-year bill credit for gas-to-heat-pump switchers. If you were not invited, you are not eligible.
The incentive is capped at 70% of project cost, or 85% in a disadvantaged community.
Why this page and National Grid's page differ
On October 3, 2026 National Grid's own heating page still quoted the earlier headline of up to $12,000. The manual raised the top figure to $14,000 for a disadvantaged-community home that decommissions its fossil system and sits in the Weatherized Tier. If a contractor quotes you the lower figure, ask which version of the manual they used and which tier the home qualifies for. We re-read the utility page monthly and will update the table when National Grid changes it.
Gas customers switching to electric
Many upstate homes heat with natural gas from National Grid and take electricity from the same company or from a different supplier. The Clean Heat incentive follows the electric account that pays the System Benefits Charge. That matters for homes where the gas utility and the electric utility are different companies, because only the electric utility's table applies to your project.
Category 2b, the amount that removes the old system, is the one that moves the number most for a gas-heated home. Decommissioning a gas furnace usually also means capping a gas line, which is a job for a licensed contractor and may affect your gas bill's fixed monthly charge.
How the Weatherized Tier changes the math
A 1950s Buffalo bungalow or a Syracuse two-family may qualify through a past weatherization program or through the heating-load test. A house built in 2011 qualifies by age alone. The practical effect is a doubling of Category 2 from $4,000 to $8,000. Ask for the heating-load test result in writing, because it is the document that proves the tier.
Other help for upstate homeowners
NYSERDA's EmPower+ program offers free upgrades for low-income households and 50% cost-sharing for moderate-income households, and Comfort Home offers seal-and-insulate packages. Both sit outside this table and are worth asking about before a heat pump, since sealing first can lift you into the higher tier.
How to claim National Grid's heat pump incentive
- Check your electric bill: the National Grid table applies only if National Grid is your electric supplier.
- Get quotes from a NYS Clean Heat participating contractor. Ask which category and tier each quote assumes.
- Have a Manual J load calculation done; the program pays only for systems sized to the whole home.
- Ask the contractor to submit the project and apply the incentive to your invoice.
- Keep your final invoice and commissioning record.
Our pages for National Grid (upstate NY) customers
- Albany: Capital Region.
- Syracuse: Central New York.
- Buffalo: Western New York.
- Rochester: Rochester's electric utility is RG&E; see the NYSEG and RG&E page.
Guides
Common questions
How much does National Grid pay for a heat pump?
Up to $14,000 for a disadvantaged-community, Weatherized Tier home that removes the old heating system. A typical single-family home outside a disadvantaged community gets $4,000 to $12,000.
Why does National Grid's page say up to $12,000?
That is the figure from before September 1, 2026. The statewide manual now pays more in some cases.
Can I apply directly?
Contractors apply for the heat pump incentive on your behalf. A homeowner can apply directly only for a heat pump water heater.
What is the Whole Home Electrification Program?
An invitation-only program in select upstate communities that may cover up to 100% of eligible costs. If you did not get an invitation, you cannot enroll.
Do I qualify if I heat with gas?
Yes, if National Grid is your electric supplier and the home is one to four units.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 3, 2026: NYS Clean Heat Program Manual, version 3, National Grid, Whole Home Electrification Program, NYS Clean Heat, NYSERDA Comfort Home. All rebate programs →