Central New Mexico El Cooperative and solar
Central New Mexico El Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 19,323 homes in New Mexico. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 17.9¢17% above New Mexico average
- Typical bill
- $104580 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~22%Varies by utility
- Typical payback
- 11.5 yrs4.3 kW, cash
Export rules for Central New Mexico El Cooperative customers
Varies by utility (New Mexico rule).
For systems up to 10 kW, New Mexico utilities either carry forward excess kWh credits or pay for them at avoided cost; most small residential systems effectively get retail offset for self-use and monthly netting. Larger systems get avoided cost for excess.
Solar for a typical Central New Mexico El Cooperative home
| System | 4.3 kW (110% of 580 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $13,820 |
| First-year savings | $1,230 |
| Payback | 11.5 years |
| 25-year net | $19,118 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 821
- Share of customers
- 4.3%
- Residential solar capacity
- 6 MW
- Residential customers
- 19,323
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Central New Mexico El Cooperative and solar
Does Central New Mexico El Cooperative have net metering?
Central New Mexico El Cooperative follows New Mexico's rules: For systems up to 10 kW, New Mexico utilities either carry forward excess kWh credits or pay for them at avoided cost; most small residential systems effectively get retail offset for self-use and monthly netting. Larger systems get avoided cost for excess.
How much does electricity cost with Central New Mexico El Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 17.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 17.9¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 580 kWh a month, a bill of about $104.
Is solar worth it with Central New Mexico El Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 4.3 kW system costing about $13,820 pays back in about 11.5 years, with $19,118 net over 25 years.
How many Central New Mexico El Cooperative customers have solar?
About 821 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 4.3% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Central New Mexico El Coop, Inc (EIA ID 3273). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.