Capital Electric Cooperative and solar
Capital Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 19,650 homes in North Dakota. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.1¢14% above North Dakota average
- Typical bill
- $1461,032 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~21%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 17 yrs6.1 kW, cash
Export rules for Capital Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (North Dakota rule).
North Dakota's net metering rule only covers the three investor-owned utilities (Xcel, Otter Tail, Montana-Dakota) for systems up to 100 kW. Solar you use at home offsets retail power, but extra energy left over each month is bought at the utility's low avoided-cost rate (a few cents per kWh).
Solar for a typical Capital Electric Cooperative home
| System | 6.1 kW (65% of 1,032 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,750 |
| First-year savings | $1,137 |
| Payback | 17.0 years |
| 25-year net | $10,522 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 19,650
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Capital Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Capital Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Capital Electric Cooperative follows North Dakota's rules: North Dakota's net metering rule only covers the three investor-owned utilities (Xcel, Otter Tail, Montana-Dakota) for systems up to 100 kW. Solar you use at home offsets retail power, but extra energy left over each month is bought at the utility's low avoided-cost rate (a few cents per kWh).
How much does electricity cost with Capital Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,032 kWh a month, a bill of about $146.
Is solar worth it with Capital Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 6.1 kW system costing about $18,750 pays back in about 17 years, with $10,522 net over 25 years.
How many Capital Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Capital Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Capital Electric Coop, Inc (EIA ID 2985). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.