City of St Charles and solar
City of St Charles is a municipal utility serving about 14,901 homes in Illinois. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.5¢18% below Illinois average
- Typical bill
- $110711 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~58%Reduced export credit
- Typical payback
- 15.8 yrs5.1 kW, cash
Export rules for City of St Charles customers
Reduced export credit (Illinois rule).
For ComEd and Ameren customers who connected on or after Jan 1, 2025, solar exports only offset the energy supply part of the bill (about 8-12 cents/kWh), not delivery charges. To compensate, the state pays an upfront $300 per kW rebate for solar with a smart inverter, and Illinois Shines pays for solar renewable energy credits.
Solar for a typical City of St Charles home
| System | 5.1 kW (80% of 711 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,290 |
| First-year savings | $1,041 |
| Payback | 15.8 years |
| 25-year net | $15,531 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 51
- Share of customers
- 0.3%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 14,901
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about City of St Charles and solar
Does City of St Charles have net metering?
City of St Charles follows Illinois's rules: For ComEd and Ameren customers who connected on or after Jan 1, 2025, solar exports only offset the energy supply part of the bill (about 8-12 cents/kWh), not delivery charges. To compensate, the state pays an upfront $300 per kW rebate for solar with a smart inverter, and Illinois Shines pays for solar renewable energy credits.
How much does electricity cost with City of St Charles?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 711 kWh a month, a bill of about $110.
Is solar worth it with City of St Charles?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 5.1 kW system costing about $18,290 pays back in about 15.8 years, with $15,531 net over 25 years.
How many City of St Charles customers have solar?
About 51 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.3% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: City of St Charles - (IL) (EIA ID 17860). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.