Central Georgia El Member and solar
Central Georgia El Member is an electric cooperative serving about 62,546 homes in Georgia. 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¢11% below Georgia average
- Typical bill
- $1721,283 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~54%Reduced export credit
- Typical payback
- 18.5 yrs5.4 kW, cash
Export rules for Central Georgia El Member customers
Reduced export credit (Georgia rule).
Georgia has no full net metering for new customers. Georgia Power credits solar you use at home at retail, and pays about 7.2 cents/kWh in 2026 for power sent to the grid (its solar avoided cost plus a 4-cent adder). Its monthly net metering program is full and closed. Electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) generally pay avoided cost.
Solar for a typical Central Georgia El Member home
| System | 5.4 kW (50% of 1,283 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $16,460 |
| First-year savings | $904 |
| Payback | 18.5 years |
| 25-year net | $7,086 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 291
- Share of customers
- 0.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 62,546
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Central Georgia El Member and solar
Does Central Georgia El Member have net metering?
Central Georgia El Member follows Georgia's rules: Georgia has no full net metering for new customers. Georgia Power credits solar you use at home at retail, and pays about 7.2 cents/kWh in 2026 for power sent to the grid (its solar avoided cost plus a 4-cent adder). Its monthly net metering program is full and closed. Electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) generally pay avoided cost.
How much does electricity cost with Central Georgia El Member?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,283 kWh a month, a bill of about $172.
Is solar worth it with Central Georgia El Member?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.4 kW system costing about $16,460 pays back in about 18.5 years, with $7,086 net over 25 years.
How many Central Georgia El Member customers have solar?
About 291 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Central Georgia El Member Corp (EIA ID 3248). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.