City of Salem and solar
City of Salem is a municipal utility serving about 11,426 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.)
- 16.7¢2% above Virginia average
- Typical bill
- $158947 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 12.8 yrs8.7 kW, cash
Export rules for City of Salem 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 City of Salem home
| System | 8.7 kW (100% of 947 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $24,815 |
| First-year savings | $1,848 |
| Payback | 12.8 years |
| 25-year net | $32,336 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 113
- Share of customers
- 1.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 11,426
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about City of Salem and solar
Does City of Salem have net metering?
City of Salem 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 City of Salem?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.7¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 947 kWh a month, a bill of about $158.
Is solar worth it with City of Salem?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 8.7 kW system costing about $24,815 pays back in about 12.8 years, with $32,336 net over 25 years.
How many City of Salem customers have solar?
About 113 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: City of Salem - (VA) (EIA ID 16558). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.