Athens Utility Board and solar
Athens Utility Board is a municipal utility serving about 11,761 homes in Tennessee. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 12.8¢6% below Tennessee average
- Typical bill
- $1491,171 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~21%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- Never5.1 kW, cash
Export rules for Athens Utility Board customers
No statewide net metering (Tennessee rule).
Tennessee has no net metering law; almost all homes are served by TVA-supplied local power companies. Solar offsets your own usage, but exported power is typically bought at TVA's low wholesale avoided-cost rate (about 2.7 c/kWh in late 2026) or a local utility's own rate.
Solar for a typical Athens Utility Board home
| System | 5.1 kW (50% of 1,171 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,310 |
| First-year savings | $713 |
| Payback | never within 25 years |
| 25-year net | −$401 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 11,761
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Athens Utility Board and solar
Does Athens Utility Board have net metering?
Athens Utility Board follows Tennessee's rules: Tennessee has no net metering law; almost all homes are served by TVA-supplied local power companies. Solar offsets your own usage, but exported power is typically bought at TVA's low wholesale avoided-cost rate (about 2.7 c/kWh in late 2026) or a local utility's own rate.
How much does electricity cost with Athens Utility Board?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 12.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,171 kWh a month, a bill of about $149.
Is solar worth it with Athens Utility Board?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.1 kW system costing about $19,310 does not pay back within 25 years, with −$401 net over 25 years.
How many Athens Utility Board customers have solar?
Athens Utility Board did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Athens Utility Board (EIA ID 947). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.