Managing your solar energy billing should be simple and straightforward. This guide explains what to expect from your LightReach bill, how payments work, and where to find your account information.

Your First Bill

You can expect to receive your first bill:

30 days after Permission to Operate (PTO) date, or
15 days after system activation, whichever occurs latest.

Permission to Operate (PTO) is the confirmation that your solar system can officially connect to the grid and begin generating power. It signifies the start of your billing cycle.

Account Details

In the Billing section of your online LightReach account or mobile app you can view:

Plan Information

Your energy plan type
Account number
Monthly payment amount
Annual rate escalator

The Annual Rate Escalator is a pre-determined rate between 0–3.5%, that increases your monthly payment by a fixed percentage each calendar year.

Payment Information

In this section, you will find any balance due and the current account for scheduled payments. Preparing for your solar system installation requires adding a payment method beforehand to streamline the setup and billing processes.

You can update your payment method anytime by clicking the pencil icon and entering your bank account details.

Note: If you’d like to add a credit card or make a one-time payment, please contact our billing team by phone or chat for assistance.

Transactions, Statements & Documents

Transactions: displays all payments and credits applied to your account, including the date, description, payment status, and transaction amount.
Statements: Contains all of your invoices. Select View to open or download the invoice for a specific billing period.
Documents: Lists your signed agreements and disclosures in one convenient location.

Billing Timeline

Your next invoice becomes available about 20 days before the due date.
Payments are charged automatically on the due date listed on the invoice.
If your account is current, it will show a $0 balance due until the next bill is generated.

Failed Payments

If a payment fails, your account will display a notification along with the option to update your payment method. Once you update your payment information, a retry will happen immediately. If you choose not to update your payment method, another payment attempt will automatically occur after five days.

If your payment is more than 10 days past its due date, you will see a failed payment status and the next payment due. Once this overdue bill is successfully paid, your Payment History will reflect the updated status.

Late fees

Late fees apply if payment is not received within 20 days of the due date.

A $25 late fee is charged beginning on Day 20 and continues until the balance is paid in full.
Accounts more than 120 days past due may be reported to credit agencies.

Electronic Statements

Beginning January 2026, all statements will be delivered by email each month.

If you prefer paper statements, you can request them by:

Calling 855-339-1831
Chatting with us online
Emailing [email protected]

You can always view digital statements under the Statements section on the billing page by selecting View next to the statement date.

Your statement will include:

Statement Date
Account Number
Amount Due
Due Date
Terms & Instructions

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I still receive a utility bill?

Yes. You will receive two bills:

Palmetto (LightReach): For your solar energy plan payments.
Utility Company: For grid connection and any electricity used when solar production is low (ex: cloudy days, nighttime)

You'll remain connected to the grid and a utility customer, even with solar. Most solar users still purchase some energy and owe the utility customer fees, which vary. Contact your local utility for details.

How do I get solar credits and incentive payments?

Your utility company—not Palmetto—is responsible for issuing solar credits or overproduction payments.

Credits won’t appear until your system is fully activated and commissioned after Permission to Operate (PTO). If you’re not seeing credits:

Check your utility bill
Confirm your system is producing energy
Submit any documents required by your utility

What are the accepted payment methods?

You may pay using:

ACH bank transfer
Credit card (3% processing fee applies)

If you are not enrolled in AutoPay, your bill will include a $15 non-AutoPay fee.

Note: The Palmetto app currently supports ACH AutoPay only. To add a credit card or make a one-time payment, please contact us.

What happens if my payment fails?

We will prompt you to update your payment method and retry your payment until the balance is resolved. You are responsible for any fees charged by your financial institution for rejected payments.

Explore more LightReach FAQs