Denton County Electric Cooperative and solar
Denton County Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 310,805 homes in Texas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.7¢14% below Texas average
- Typical bill
- $1631,192 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~44%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 15.7 yrs4.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Denton County Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Texas rule).
Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
Solar for a typical Denton County Electric Cooperative home
| System | 4.7 kW (50% of 1,192 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $13,370 |
| First-year savings | $841 |
| Payback | 15.7 years |
| 25-year net | $10,564 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 9,170
- Share of customers
- 3.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 92 MW
- Residential customers
- 310,805
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Denton County Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Denton County Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Denton County Electric Cooperative follows Texas's rules: Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
How much does electricity cost with Denton County Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.7¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,192 kWh a month, a bill of about $163.
Is solar worth it with Denton County Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 4.7 kW system costing about $13,370 pays back in about 15.7 years, with $10,564 net over 25 years.
How many Denton County Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 9,170 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 3.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Denton County Elec Coop, Inc (EIA ID 5078). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.