Central Rural Electric Cooperative and solar
Central Rural Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 20,052 homes in Oklahoma. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.4¢2% below Oklahoma average
- Typical bill
- $2001,499 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~19%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 14.2 yrs10.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Central Rural Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Oklahoma rule).
Oklahoma requires net metering, but only your same-month usage is offset at retail. Any excess left at the end of the billing period is bought at the utility's avoided cost, typically just a few cents per kWh.
Solar for a typical Central Rural Electric Cooperative home
| System | 10.7 kW (90% of 1,499 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $30,250 |
| First-year savings | $2,109 |
| Payback | 14.2 years |
| 25-year net | $30,217 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 189
- Share of customers
- 0.9%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 20,052
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Central Rural Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Central Rural Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Central Rural Electric Cooperative follows Oklahoma's rules: Oklahoma requires net metering, but only your same-month usage is offset at retail. Any excess left at the end of the billing period is bought at the utility's avoided cost, typically just a few cents per kWh.
How much does electricity cost with Central Rural Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,499 kWh a month, a bill of about $200.
Is solar worth it with Central Rural Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 10.7 kW system costing about $30,250 pays back in about 14.2 years, with $30,217 net over 25 years.
How many Central Rural Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 189 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.9% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Central Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc (EIA ID 3226). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.