City of Colton and solar
City of Colton is a municipal utility serving about 17,367 homes in California. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 24.2¢27% below California average
- Typical bill
- $125517 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~17%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- 13.3 yrs3 kW, cash
Export rules for City of Colton customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (California rule).
New customers of PG&E, SCE and SDG&E are on the Net Billing Tariff (often called NEM 3.0): solar you use at home saves the full retail rate, but power you send to the grid is credited at hourly 'avoided cost' values that average only about 4-5 cents/kWh (higher on summer evenings). Batteries greatly improve the economics. Municipal utilities like LADWP and SMUD set their own rules.
Solar for a typical City of Colton home
| System | 3 kW (80% of 517 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $724 |
| Payback | 13.3 years |
| 25-year net | $14,664 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 1,211
- Share of customers
- 7.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 6 MW
- Residential customers
- 17,367
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about City of Colton and solar
Does City of Colton have net metering?
City of Colton follows California's rules: New customers of PG&E, SCE and SDG&E are on the Net Billing Tariff (often called NEM 3.0): solar you use at home saves the full retail rate, but power you send to the grid is credited at hourly 'avoided cost' values that average only about 4-5 cents/kWh (higher on summer evenings). Batteries greatly improve the economics. Municipal utilities like LADWP and SMUD set their own rules.
How much does electricity cost with City of Colton?
Residential customers paid an average of 23.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 24.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 517 kWh a month, a bill of about $125.
Is solar worth it with City of Colton?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 3 kW system costing about $10,700 pays back in about 13.3 years, with $14,664 net over 25 years.
How many City of Colton customers have solar?
About 1,211 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 7.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: City of Colton - (CA) (EIA ID 4003). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.