City of Columbia and solar
City of Columbia is a municipal utility serving about 45,899 homes in Missouri. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 16.3¢17% above Missouri average
- Typical bill
- $130800 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~28%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 13.8 yrs6.1 kW, cash
Export rules for City of Columbia customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Missouri rule).
Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
Solar for a typical City of Columbia home
| System | 6.1 kW (90% of 800 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $17,835 |
| First-year savings | $1,355 |
| Payback | 13.8 years |
| 25-year net | $16,646 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 703
- Share of customers
- 1.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 6 MW
- Residential customers
- 45,899
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about City of Columbia and solar
Does City of Columbia have net metering?
City of Columbia follows Missouri's rules: Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
How much does electricity cost with City of Columbia?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 800 kWh a month, a bill of about $130.
Is solar worth it with City of Columbia?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 6.1 kW system costing about $17,835 pays back in about 13.8 years, with $16,646 net over 25 years.
How many City of Columbia customers have solar?
About 703 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: City of Columbia - (MO) (EIA ID 4045). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.