Eastern NC utility HVAC rebates, on one page.
The rules changed a lot between 2025 and 2026. The federal tax credit ended, and what your project qualifies for now depends on which power lines happen to run to your house. Here is the current picture for the city and co-op utilities we work with, checked against the program sources as of July 2026.
First, the bad news: the federal tax credit is gone.
The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (Section 25C), the “30%, up to $2,000” credit you may remember, ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025. Systems installed in 2026 do not earn a federal tax credit. If a company's ad or quote still promises one, be careful about the rest of their advice too. The utility programs below are current and real, and we check them with every quote.
Your utility may pay toward the work, if you know which one you have
Electric service around here is a patchwork: a city utility, three co-ops, and Duke, with programs that change street by street. Here is what the city and co-op utilities are paying right now.
City of New Bern Electric
- $100 per ton, up to $400, for replacement central heat pumps with strips (min 15.2 SEER2, ≥1 ton)
- $150 for qualifying high-efficiency electric water heaters
Tideland EMC
- $100 bill credit: 16 SEER air-source heat pump
- $150 bill credit: 17+ SEER air-source heat pump
- $400: geothermal or dual-fuel heat pump (15 SEER min)
- $100: variable-capacity “hyper-heat” whole-house heat pump
- $350: heat pump water heater
- Requires installer’s Manual J load calculation with the rebate form
Jones-Onslow EMC
- Heat pump rebate for ENERGY STAR units, minimum 16 SEER / 15.2 SEER2 (existing homes). Confirm the current amount with JOEMC.
- $300: heat pump water heater (≤55 gal)
- ENERGY STAR appliance bill credits
Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative
- $300: ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater
- Connect My Thermostat: $50 enrollment + $50/year bill credit (Nest, ecobee, Honeywell)
Not sure which utility you have?
Bring a power bill to your free estimate, or just tell us your road. We match every quote to your utility's current programs, then help with the paperwork with the install.
Program details verified against utility program pages as of July 2026. Rebate programs change, and some pause when funds run low. Amounts and eligibility are always confirmed against current program rules in your written quote before you commit to anything.
Rebate questions, answered straight
Is the federal HVAC tax credit still available in 2026?
No. The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (Section 25C) ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025, so systems installed in 2026 do not qualify. Any ad still promising a "30% federal tax credit" is out of date. The utility programs on this page are still real, and we check them with every quote.
Which utility rebates apply to me?
It depends on which power lines run to your house. Electric service around here is split between the City of New Bern, Tideland EMC, Jones-Onslow EMC, Carteret-Craven EC, and Duke Energy Progress, and each utility sets its own programs and rules. Bring a power bill to your estimate, or just tell us your road, and we can tell you in a couple of minutes which utility you have and what it currently offers.
How do I claim a utility rebate?
Most of these pay out as a check or a bill credit from your utility after the install. The forms usually ask for equipment details, and Tideland also requires the installer's Manual J load calculation, which our replacement quotes include by default. We help you put the paperwork together with the install.
Find out what your address qualifies for.
Give us five minutes and a power bill, and we can tell you what your utility will pay toward a new system. In writing, before you spend anything.
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