Black Hills Power and solar
Black Hills Power is an investor-owned utility serving about 69,800 homes in South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 16.1¢13% above South Dakota average
- Typical bill
- $113702 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~25%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 20.2 yrs3 kW, cash
Export rules for Black Hills Power customers
Avoided-cost export credit, varies netting.
Avoided-cost buyback; verify current tariff.
Solar for a typical Black Hills Power home
| System | 3 kW (52% of 702 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $11,000 |
| First-year savings | $555 |
| Payback | 20.2 years |
| 25-year net | $3,042 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 226
- Share of customers
- 0.3%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 69,800
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Black Hills Power and solar
Does Black Hills Power have net metering?
Avoided-cost buyback; verify current tariff.
How much does electricity cost with Black Hills Power?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 702 kWh a month, a bill of about $113.
Is solar worth it with Black Hills Power?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 3 kW system costing about $11,000 pays back in about 20.2 years, with $3,042 net over 25 years.
How many Black Hills Power customers have solar?
About 226 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.3% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Black Hills Power, Inc. (EIA ID 19545). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.