Big Bend Electric Cooperative and solar
Big Bend Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 6,365 homes in Washington. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 10.3¢27% below Washington average
- Typical bill
- $1651,602 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 21.4 yrs8.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Big Bend Electric Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Washington rule).
Washington utilities must offer 1:1 net metering until June 30, 2029 or until they hit a 4% capacity threshold. Credits roll over monthly but are forfeited at the annual reset (usually April 30). Pacific Power has proposed switching new customers to net billing from Feb 2027.
Solar for a typical Big Bend Electric Cooperative home
| System | 8.7 kW (50% of 1,602 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $23,945 |
| First-year savings | $992 |
| Payback | 21.4 years |
| 25-year net | $6,075 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 115
- Share of customers
- 1.8%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 6,365
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Big Bend Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Big Bend Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Big Bend Electric Cooperative follows Washington's rules: Washington utilities must offer 1:1 net metering until June 30, 2029 or until they hit a 4% capacity threshold. Credits roll over monthly but are forfeited at the annual reset (usually April 30). Pacific Power has proposed switching new customers to net billing from Feb 2027.
How much does electricity cost with Big Bend Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 9.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 10.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,602 kWh a month, a bill of about $165.
Is solar worth it with Big Bend Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 8.7 kW system costing about $23,945 pays back in about 21.4 years, with $6,075 net over 25 years.
How many Big Bend Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 115 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.8% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Big Bend Electric Coop, Inc (EIA ID 1723). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.