Cherokee Electric Cooperative and solar
Cherokee Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 19,006 homes in Alabama. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 16.3¢1% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $1861,142 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~18%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 18.9 yrs4.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Cherokee Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Alabama rule).
Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
Solar for a typical Cherokee Electric Cooperative home
| System | 4.9 kW (50% of 1,142 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,690 |
| First-year savings | $884 |
| Payback | 18.9 years |
| 25-year net | $8,529 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 19,006
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Cherokee Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Cherokee Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Cherokee Electric Cooperative follows Alabama's rules: Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
How much does electricity cost with Cherokee Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 16.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,142 kWh a month, a bill of about $186.
Is solar worth it with Cherokee Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.9 kW system costing about $18,690 pays back in about 18.9 years, with $8,529 net over 25 years.
How many Cherokee Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Cherokee Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Cherokee Electric Coop - (AL) (EIA ID 3426). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.