Solar in Reading, PA
With PPL Electric Utilities's electricity at about 20.3¢ per kWh and 1,268 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Reading home today: about a 10.1-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.1 yrsPennsylvania: 9.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $52,045after paying $25,750
- Sun
- 1,268kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 20.3¢13% above U.S. average
A typical Reading home, by the numbers
| Utility | PPL Electric Utilities |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 942 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 8.9 kW, about 21 panels, 11,285 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $25,750 |
| First-year savings | $2,193 |
| Payback | 10.1 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (PPL Electric Utilities) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Reading
- Owner-occupied homes
- 41%
- Single-family detached
- 12%
- Median home value
- $121k
- Median year built
- 1938
- Population
- 95,242
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 60%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 15,442 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 Reading
Public installation records for Pennsylvania don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Pennsylvania.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Reading
Is solar worth it in Reading, PA?
For a typical home in Reading, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 8.9 kW system costs about $25,750 after state incentives, saves about $2,193 in year one and pays back in about 10.1 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Reading?
About 1,268 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the Pennsylvania average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Reading?
Most homes in Reading are served by PPL Electric Utilities, at about 20.3¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric.
How much do solar panels cost in Reading?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $25,750 for a 8.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Lebanon 10.1 yrs
- Lancaster 9.7 yrs
- Allentown 10.1 yrs
- King of Prussia 10 yrs
- Norristown 10.1 yrs
- Bethlehem 10.2 yrs
- Hazleton 10.4 yrs
- Drexel Hill 9.9 yrs
- All of Pennsylvania
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.