Solar in Lewiston, ID
With PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power / Pacific Power)'s electricity at about 14.7¢ per kWh and 1,265 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Lewiston home today: about a 18-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 18 yrsIdaho: 18.3 yrs
- 25-year net
- $4,199after paying $9,534
- Sun
- 1,265kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 14.7¢18% below U.S. average
A typical Lewiston home, by the numbers
| Utility | PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power / Pacific Power) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 889 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.2 kW, about 10 panels, 5,314 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $15,890, or $9,534 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $591 |
| Payback | 18.0 years |
| Exported power | 4.3¢/kWh (PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power / Pacific Power)) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Lewiston
- Owner-occupied homes
- 67%
- Single-family detached
- 67%
- Median home value
- $334k
- Median year built
- 1971
- Population
- 34,651
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 77%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 11,463 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Lewiston
Public installation records for Idaho don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Idaho.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Lewiston
Is solar worth it in Lewiston, ID?
For a typical home in Lewiston, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.2 kW system costs about $9,534 after state incentives, saves about $591 in year one and pays back in about 18 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Lewiston?
About 1,265 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 11% less than the Idaho average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Lewiston?
Most homes in Lewiston are served by PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power / Pacific Power), at about 14.7¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Avista.
How much do solar panels cost in Lewiston?
A fair cash price is around $3.45 per watt before incentives, so about $15,890 for a 4.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Moscow 12.5 yrs
- Coeur d'Alene 13.4 yrs
- Post Falls 13.1 yrs
- Eagle 18 yrs
- Caldwell 18.3 yrs
- Meridian 17.6 yrs
- Nampa 18.1 yrs
- Boise City 17.9 yrs
- All of Idaho
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.