Clay County Electric Cooperative and solar
Clay County Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 10,554 homes in Arkansas, Missouri. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.1¢12% above Arkansas average
- Typical bill
- $140930 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~30%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 13.2 yrs7.2 kW, cash
Export rules for Clay County Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Arkansas rule).
Under Act 278 of 2023, new solar customers (applications after Sept 30, 2024) still offset their own usage at retail, but any excess electricity sent to the grid is credited only at the utility's avoided cost, often under half of retail. Customers who connected earlier keep 1:1 retail credit through 2039-2040.
Solar for a typical Clay County Electric Cooperative home
| System | 7.2 kW (90% of 930 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,700 |
| First-year savings | $1,479 |
| Payback | 13.2 years |
| 25-year net | $23,367 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 49
- Share of customers
- 0.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 0 MW
- Residential customers
- 10,554
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Clay County Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Clay County Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Clay County Electric Cooperative follows Arkansas's rules: Under Act 278 of 2023, new solar customers (applications after Sept 30, 2024) still offset their own usage at retail, but any excess electricity sent to the grid is credited only at the utility's avoided cost, often under half of retail. Customers who connected earlier keep 1:1 retail credit through 2039-2040.
How much does electricity cost with Clay County Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 930 kWh a month, a bill of about $140.
Is solar worth it with Clay County Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 7.2 kW system costing about $19,700 pays back in about 13.2 years, with $23,367 net over 25 years.
How many Clay County Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 49 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Clay County Electric Coop Corp - (AR) (EIA ID 3712). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.