Coastal Electric Member and solar
Coastal Electric Member is an electric cooperative serving about 21,397 homes in Georgia. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.8¢2% below Georgia average
- Typical bill
- $1861,259 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~49%Reduced export credit
- Typical payback
- 17.1 yrs5.3 kW, cash
Export rules for Coastal Electric Member customers
Reduced export credit (Georgia rule).
Georgia has no full net metering for new customers. Georgia Power credits solar you use at home at retail, and pays about 7.2 cents/kWh in 2026 for power sent to the grid (its solar avoided cost plus a 4-cent adder). Its monthly net metering program is full and closed. Electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) generally pay avoided cost.
Solar for a typical Coastal Electric Member home
| System | 5.3 kW (50% of 1,259 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $16,220 |
| First-year savings | $962 |
| Payback | 17.1 years |
| 25-year net | $9,370 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 245
- Share of customers
- 1.1%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 21,397
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Coastal Electric Member and solar
Does Coastal Electric Member have net metering?
Coastal Electric Member follows Georgia's rules: Georgia has no full net metering for new customers. Georgia Power credits solar you use at home at retail, and pays about 7.2 cents/kWh in 2026 for power sent to the grid (its solar avoided cost plus a 4-cent adder). Its monthly net metering program is full and closed. Electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) generally pay avoided cost.
How much does electricity cost with Coastal Electric Member?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,259 kWh a month, a bill of about $186.
Is solar worth it with Coastal Electric Member?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.3 kW system costing about $16,220 pays back in about 17.1 years, with $9,370 net over 25 years.
How many Coastal Electric Member customers have solar?
About 245 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.1% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Coastal Electric Member Corp - (GA) (EIA ID 3843). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.