Cleveland Electric Illum and solar
Cleveland Electric Illum is an investor-owned utility serving about 677,581 homes in Ohio. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 17.6¢4% below Ohio average
- Typical bill
- $122694 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~23%Reduced export credit
- Typical payback
- 14.2 yrs5.3 kW, cash
Export rules for Cleveland Electric Illum customers
Reduced export credit, monthly netting.
Excess at SSO generation rate.
Solar for a typical Cleveland Electric Illum home
| System | 5.3 kW (80% of 694 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $16,750 |
| First-year savings | $1,121 |
| Payback | 14.2 years |
| 25-year net | $16,919 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 3,006
- Share of customers
- 0.4%
- Residential solar capacity
- 22 MW
- Residential customers
- 677,581
EIA-861, 2025. In competitive markets, some solar is reported by retail electricity providers instead.
Questions about Cleveland Electric Illum and solar
Does Cleveland Electric Illum have net metering?
Excess at SSO generation rate.
How much does electricity cost with Cleveland Electric Illum?
Residential customers paid an average of 16.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 17.6¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 694 kWh a month, a bill of about $122.
Is solar worth it with Cleveland Electric Illum?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 5.3 kW system costing about $16,750 pays back in about 14.2 years, with $16,919 net over 25 years.
How many Cleveland Electric Illum customers have solar?
About 3,006 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.4% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Cleveland Electric Illum Co (EIA ID 3755). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.