Board of Water Electric & Communications and solar
Board of Water Electric & Communications is a municipal utility serving about 10,105 homes in Iowa. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.4¢5% below Iowa average
- Typical bill
- $111833 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 24.1 yrs3.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Board of Water Electric & Communications customers
Full retail net metering (Iowa rule).
Iowa's two investor-owned utilities (MidAmerican and Alliant) credit solar exports at the retail energy rate through net billing or inflow-outflow billing. Customers who connect before a future value-of-solar rate takes effect (by July 2027 at the latest) keep retail-rate export credit for 20 years.
Solar for a typical Board of Water Electric & Communications home
| System | 3.7 kW (51% of 833 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $15,525 |
| First-year savings | $677 |
| Payback | 24.1 years |
| 25-year net | $637 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 28
- Share of customers
- 0.3%
- Residential solar capacity
- 0 MW
- Residential customers
- 10,105
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Board of Water Electric & Communications and solar
Does Board of Water Electric & Communications have net metering?
Board of Water Electric & Communications follows Iowa's rules: Iowa's two investor-owned utilities (MidAmerican and Alliant) credit solar exports at the retail energy rate through net billing or inflow-outflow billing. Customers who connect before a future value-of-solar rate takes effect (by July 2027 at the latest) keep retail-rate export credit for 20 years.
How much does electricity cost with Board of Water Electric & Communications?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 833 kWh a month, a bill of about $111.
Is solar worth it with Board of Water Electric & Communications?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 3.7 kW system costing about $15,525 pays back in about 24.1 years, with $637 net over 25 years.
How many Board of Water Electric & Communications customers have solar?
About 28 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.3% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Board of Water Electric & Communications (EIA ID 13143). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.