Black River Electric Cooperative and solar
Black River Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 21,606 homes in Missouri. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.3¢2% above Missouri average
- Typical bill
- $1641,151 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~32%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 14.9 yrs7.8 kW, cash
Export rules for Black River Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Missouri rule).
Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
Solar for a typical Black River Electric Cooperative home
| System | 7.8 kW (80% of 1,151 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $21,830 |
| First-year savings | $1,551 |
| Payback | 14.9 years |
| 25-year net | $16,828 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 103
- Share of customers
- 0.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 21,606
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Black River Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Black River Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Black River Electric Cooperative follows Missouri's rules: Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
How much does electricity cost with Black River Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,151 kWh a month, a bill of about $164.
Is solar worth it with Black River Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 7.8 kW system costing about $21,830 pays back in about 14.9 years, with $16,828 net over 25 years.
How many Black River Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 103 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Black River Electric Coop - (MO) (EIA ID 1775). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.