City of Natchitoches and solar
City of Natchitoches is a municipal utility serving about 7,196 homes in Louisiana. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 11.0¢15% below Louisiana average
- Typical bill
- $1161,054 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~35%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 21.3 yrs4.3 kW, cash
Export rules for City of Natchitoches customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Louisiana rule).
Outside New Orleans, new solar customers since 2020 are credited for exported power at the utility's avoided cost, about 3.6-4 cents/kWh, versus retail rates of ~11-13 cents. Customers who interconnected before 2020 were grandfathered at retail for 15 years. New Orleans (City Council-regulated) still offers retail net metering.
Solar for a typical City of Natchitoches home
| System | 4.3 kW (50% of 1,054 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $12,745 |
| First-year savings | $577 |
| Payback | 21.3 years |
| 25-year net | $2,980 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 52
- Share of customers
- 0.7%
- Residential solar capacity
- 0 MW
- Residential customers
- 7,196
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about City of Natchitoches and solar
Does City of Natchitoches have net metering?
City of Natchitoches follows Louisiana's rules: Outside New Orleans, new solar customers since 2020 are credited for exported power at the utility's avoided cost, about 3.6-4 cents/kWh, versus retail rates of ~11-13 cents. Customers who interconnected before 2020 were grandfathered at retail for 15 years. New Orleans (City Council-regulated) still offers retail net metering.
How much does electricity cost with City of Natchitoches?
Residential customers paid an average of 10.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 11.0¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,054 kWh a month, a bill of about $116.
Is solar worth it with City of Natchitoches?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.3 kW system costing about $12,745 pays back in about 21.3 years, with $2,980 net over 25 years.
How many City of Natchitoches customers have solar?
About 52 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.7% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: City of Natchitoches (EIA ID 13228). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.