Decatur Utilities and solar
Decatur Utilities is a municipal utility serving about 22,830 homes in Alabama. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 12.4¢25% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $1461,177 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~24%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 23.7 yrs5.1 kW, cash
Export rules for Decatur Utilities customers
No statewide net metering (Alabama rule).
Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
Solar for a typical Decatur Utilities home
| System | 5.1 kW (50% of 1,177 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,310 |
| First-year savings | $712 |
| Payback | 23.7 years |
| 25-year net | $1,500 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 22,830
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Decatur Utilities and solar
Does Decatur Utilities have net metering?
Decatur Utilities follows Alabama's rules: Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
How much does electricity cost with Decatur Utilities?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 12.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,177 kWh a month, a bill of about $146.
Is solar worth it with Decatur Utilities?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.1 kW system costing about $19,310 pays back in about 23.7 years, with $1,500 net over 25 years.
How many Decatur Utilities customers have solar?
Decatur Utilities did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Decatur Utilities (EIA ID 4958). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.