Brunswick Electric Member and solar
Brunswick Electric Member is an electric cooperative serving about 108,087 homes in North Carolina. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.1¢5% below North Carolina average
- Typical bill
- $1521,081 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~25%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- 14.8 yrs7.4 kW, cash
Export rules for Brunswick Electric Member customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (North Carolina rule).
Duke Energy's new solar customers choose between the 'Bridge Rate' (retail-style net metering, open until Jan 1, 2027 or caps fill) and Residential Solar Choice, which requires a time-of-use rate and credits monthly net exports at avoided cost (~3.4-4 cents). Both include a minimum bill.
Solar for a typical Brunswick Electric Member home
| System | 7.4 kW (81% of 1,081 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $20,890 |
| First-year savings | $1,444 |
| Payback | 14.8 years |
| 25-year net | $17,505 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 1,008
- Share of customers
- 0.9%
- Residential solar capacity
- 7 MW
- Residential customers
- 108,087
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Brunswick Electric Member and solar
Does Brunswick Electric Member have net metering?
Brunswick Electric Member follows North Carolina's rules: Duke Energy's new solar customers choose between the 'Bridge Rate' (retail-style net metering, open until Jan 1, 2027 or caps fill) and Residential Solar Choice, which requires a time-of-use rate and credits monthly net exports at avoided cost (~3.4-4 cents). Both include a minimum bill.
How much does electricity cost with Brunswick Electric Member?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,081 kWh a month, a bill of about $152.
Is solar worth it with Brunswick Electric Member?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 7.4 kW system costing about $20,890 pays back in about 14.8 years, with $17,505 net over 25 years.
How many Brunswick Electric Member customers have solar?
About 1,008 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.9% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Brunswick Electric Member Corp (EIA ID 24889). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.