Black Hills Colorado Electric and solar
Black Hills Colorado Electric is an investor-owned utility serving about 97,888 homes in Colorado. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 19.8¢19% above Colorado average
- Typical bill
- $100506 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 10.8 yrs3.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Black Hills Colorado Electric customers
Full retail net metering (Colorado rule).
Colorado requires investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy to credit solar exports at the full retail rate, with credits rolling over month to month indefinitely. Co-ops and large municipal utilities must also offer net metering, though their rules and size limits differ.
Solar for a typical Black Hills Colorado Electric home
| System | 3.7 kW (101% of 506 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $12,935 |
| First-year savings | $1,153 |
| Payback | 10.8 years |
| 25-year net | $22,794 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 9,803
- Share of customers
- 10.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 64 MW
- Residential customers
- 97,888
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Black Hills Colorado Electric and solar
Does Black Hills Colorado Electric have net metering?
Black Hills Colorado Electric follows Colorado's rules: Colorado requires investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy to credit solar exports at the full retail rate, with credits rolling over month to month indefinitely. Co-ops and large municipal utilities must also offer net metering, though their rules and size limits differ.
How much does electricity cost with Black Hills Colorado Electric?
Residential customers paid an average of 18.7¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 19.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 506 kWh a month, a bill of about $100.
Is solar worth it with Black Hills Colorado Electric?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 3.7 kW system costing about $12,935 pays back in about 10.8 years, with $22,794 net over 25 years.
How many Black Hills Colorado Electric customers have solar?
About 9,803 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 10.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Black Hills Colorado Electric, LLC (EIA ID 56146). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.