Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative and solar
Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 5,790 homes in North Dakota. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.3¢8% above North Dakota average
- Typical bill
- $2411,816 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~23%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 17.3 yrs8.2 kW, cash
Export rules for Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (North Dakota rule).
North Dakota's net metering rule only covers the three investor-owned utilities (Xcel, Otter Tail, Montana-Dakota) for systems up to 100 kW. Solar you use at home offsets retail power, but extra energy left over each month is bought at the utility's low avoided-cost rate (a few cents per kWh).
Solar for a typical Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative home
| System | 8.2 kW (50% of 1,816 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $24,000 |
| First-year savings | $1,439 |
| Payback | 17.3 years |
| 25-year net | $12,654 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 5,790
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative follows North Dakota's rules: North Dakota's net metering rule only covers the three investor-owned utilities (Xcel, Otter Tail, Montana-Dakota) for systems up to 100 kW. Solar you use at home offsets retail power, but extra energy left over each month is bought at the utility's low avoided-cost rate (a few cents per kWh).
How much does electricity cost with Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.7¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,816 kWh a month, a bill of about $241.
Is solar worth it with Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 8.2 kW system costing about $24,000 pays back in about 17.3 years, with $12,654 net over 25 years.
How many Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Dakota Valley Elec Coop Inc (EIA ID 4717). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.