Delaware Electric Cooperative and solar
Delaware Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 108,801 homes in Delaware. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.4¢19% below Delaware average
- Typical bill
- $1521,054 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 15 yrs9.2 kW, cash
Export rules for Delaware Electric Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Delaware rule).
Delaware requires all utilities to offer net metering: exports earn full retail kWh credits that roll over month to month, with an annual true-up. Residential systems are capped at 25 kW.
Solar for a typical Delaware Electric Cooperative home
| System | 9.2 kW (100% of 1,054 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $26,960 |
| First-year savings | $1,760 |
| Payback | 15.0 years |
| 25-year net | $23,062 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 3,328
- Share of customers
- 3.1%
- Residential solar capacity
- 28 MW
- Residential customers
- 108,801
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Delaware Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Delaware Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Delaware Electric Cooperative follows Delaware's rules: Delaware requires all utilities to offer net metering: exports earn full retail kWh credits that roll over month to month, with an annual true-up. Residential systems are capped at 25 kW.
How much does electricity cost with Delaware Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,054 kWh a month, a bill of about $152.
Is solar worth it with Delaware Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 9.2 kW system costing about $26,960 pays back in about 15 years, with $23,062 net over 25 years.
How many Delaware Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 3,328 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 3.1% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Delaware Electric Cooperative (EIA ID 5070). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.