Arab Electric Cooperative and solar
Arab Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 14,159 homes in Alabama. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.0¢21% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $1631,252 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~23%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 22.5 yrs5.3 kW, cash
Export rules for Arab Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Alabama rule).
Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
Solar for a typical Arab Electric Cooperative home
| System | 5.3 kW (50% of 1,252 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,930 |
| First-year savings | $779 |
| Payback | 22.5 years |
| 25-year net | $3,049 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 14,159
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Arab Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Arab Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Arab Electric Cooperative follows Alabama's rules: Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
How much does electricity cost with Arab Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.0¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,252 kWh a month, a bill of about $163.
Is solar worth it with Arab Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.3 kW system costing about $19,930 pays back in about 22.5 years, with $3,049 net over 25 years.
How many Arab Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Arab Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Arab Electric Coop Inc (EIA ID 750). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.