Consumers Energy is an investor-owned utility serving about 1,662,741 homes in Michigan. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
Net billing (reduced export credit) — about 8.5¢ per exported kWh, instantaneous netting.
Tariff (Apr 2025): RSP outflow $0.085252 Oct-May, $0.150563 summer on-peak; includes transmission. Summer TOU default.
Michigan Distributed Generation (inflow/outflow) tariff: all inflow billed at full retail rate; outflow (exports) credited at the outflow credit = power supply component (excluding transmission) of the customer's rate; credits carry forward.
| System | 3 kW (49% of 649 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $11,900 |
| First-year savings | $699 |
| Payback | 15.6 years |
| 25-year net | $10,144 |
Uses the utility's average price; time-of-use plans can change this, so pick your plan in the calculator.
Rates we verified from Consumers Energy's tariff documents. Prices are per kWh including the main riders where noted; check your bill for the plan you're on.
Plan for solar customers. Effective 2026-05-01. Fixed charge none listed.
| Period | Price |
|---|---|
| 2pm–7pm (4 months) | 24.5¢ |
| 12am–2pm, 7pm–12am (4 months) | 19.7¢ |
| 12am–12am (8 months) | 17.6¢ |
EIA-861, 2025.
Tariff (Apr 2025): RSP outflow $0.085252 Oct-May, $0.150563 summer on-peak; includes transmission. Summer TOU default. Exported power is credited at about 8.5¢ per kWh.
Residential customers paid an average of 20.7¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 21.7¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 649 kWh a month, a bill of about $141.
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 3 kW system costing about $11,900 pays back in about 15.6 years, with $10,144 net over 25 years.
About 12,024 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.7% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Consumers Energy Co - (MI) (EIA ID 4254). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026, utility tariff sheets.