Central Virginia Electric Cooperative and solar
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 35,353 homes in Virginia. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 17.4¢6% above Virginia average
- Typical bill
- $2161,238 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 11.5 yrs10.8 kW, cash
Export rules for Central Virginia Electric Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Virginia rule).
Virginia keeps 1:1 net metering with annual netting for Dominion and Appalachian Power. Solar offsets your usage at retail and credits roll over for 12 months; only surplus left at year end is paid at a low rate (Dominion ~5.8 c/kWh under the 2026 'NEM 2.0').
Solar for a typical Central Virginia Electric Cooperative home
| System | 10.8 kW (100% of 1,238 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $29,960 |
| First-year savings | $2,508 |
| Payback | 11.5 years |
| 25-year net | $48,836 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 915
- Share of customers
- 2.6%
- Residential solar capacity
- 7 MW
- Residential customers
- 35,353
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Central Virginia Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Central Virginia Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative follows Virginia's rules: Virginia keeps 1:1 net metering with annual netting for Dominion and Appalachian Power. Solar offsets your usage at retail and credits roll over for 12 months; only surplus left at year end is paid at a low rate (Dominion ~5.8 c/kWh under the 2026 'NEM 2.0').
How much does electricity cost with Central Virginia Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 16.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 17.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,238 kWh a month, a bill of about $216.
Is solar worth it with Central Virginia Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 10.8 kW system costing about $29,960 pays back in about 11.5 years, with $48,836 net over 25 years.
How many Central Virginia Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 915 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 2.6% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Central Virginia Electric Coop (EIA ID 3291). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.