Central Valley Electric Cooperative and solar
Central Valley Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 6,167 homes in New Mexico. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 10.1¢34% below New Mexico average
- Typical bill
- $1161,149 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~40%Varies by utility
- Typical payback
- 19.5 yrs3.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Central Valley Electric 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 Valley Electric Cooperative home
| System | 3.9 kW (50% of 1,149 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $12,860 |
| First-year savings | $696 |
| Payback | 19.5 years |
| 25-year net | $4,082 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 69
- Share of customers
- 1.1%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 6,167
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Central Valley Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Central Valley Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Central Valley Electric 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 Valley Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 9.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 10.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,149 kWh a month, a bill of about $116.
Is solar worth it with Central Valley Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 3.9 kW system costing about $12,860 pays back in about 19.5 years, with $4,082 net over 25 years.
How many Central Valley Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 69 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.1% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Central Valley Elec Coop, Inc (EIA ID 3287). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.