Central Electric Cooperative and solar
Central Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 35,385 homes in Oregon. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 10.5¢32% below Oregon average
- Typical bill
- $1361,296 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 20.2 yrs6.6 kW, cash
Export rules for Central Electric Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Oregon rule).
Oregon's big utilities (PGE, Pacific Power, Idaho Power) offer true 1:1 net metering. Extra credits roll forward month to month, but anything left at the annual true-up is donated to low-income assistance rather than paid out.
Solar for a typical Central Electric Cooperative home
| System | 6.6 kW (50% of 1,296 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,680 |
| First-year savings | $819 |
| Payback | 20.2 years |
| 25-year net | $6,620 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 900
- Share of customers
- 2.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 8 MW
- Residential customers
- 35,385
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Central Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Central Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Central Electric Cooperative follows Oregon's rules: Oregon's big utilities (PGE, Pacific Power, Idaho Power) offer true 1:1 net metering. Extra credits roll forward month to month, but anything left at the annual true-up is donated to low-income assistance rather than paid out.
How much does electricity cost with Central Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 10.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 10.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,296 kWh a month, a bill of about $136.
Is solar worth it with Central Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 6.6 kW system costing about $18,680 pays back in about 20.2 years, with $6,620 net over 25 years.
How many Central Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 900 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 2.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Central Electric Coop Inc - (OR) (EIA ID 3240). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.