Cumberland Electric Member and solar
Cumberland Electric Member is an electric cooperative serving about 101,734 homes in Tennessee. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.1¢4% above Tennessee average
- Typical bill
- $2031,437 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~19%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 22.9 yrs6.4 kW, cash
Export rules for Cumberland Electric Member customers
No statewide net metering (Tennessee rule).
Tennessee has no net metering law; almost all homes are served by TVA-supplied local power companies. Solar offsets your own usage, but exported power is typically bought at TVA's low wholesale avoided-cost rate (about 2.7 c/kWh in late 2026) or a local utility's own rate.
Solar for a typical Cumberland Electric Member home
| System | 6.4 kW (50% of 1,437 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $23,340 |
| First-year savings | $966 |
| Payback | 22.9 years |
| 25-year net | $2,801 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 101,734
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Cumberland Electric Member and solar
Does Cumberland Electric Member have net metering?
Cumberland Electric Member follows Tennessee's rules: Tennessee has no net metering law; almost all homes are served by TVA-supplied local power companies. Solar offsets your own usage, but exported power is typically bought at TVA's low wholesale avoided-cost rate (about 2.7 c/kWh in late 2026) or a local utility's own rate.
How much does electricity cost with Cumberland Electric Member?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,437 kWh a month, a bill of about $203.
Is solar worth it with Cumberland Electric Member?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 6.4 kW system costing about $23,340 pays back in about 22.9 years, with $2,801 net over 25 years.
How many Cumberland Electric Member customers have solar?
Cumberland Electric Member did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Cumberland Elec Member Corp (EIA ID 4624). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.