El Paso Electric and solar
El Paso Electric is an investor-owned utility serving about 417,578 homes in Texas, New Mexico. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.5¢15% below Texas average
- Typical bill
- $94693 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~30%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 12.2 yrs4.5 kW, cash
Export rules for El Paso Electric customers
Avoided-cost export credit, monthly netting.
Net excess at avoided cost; refund check if credits > $50. Demand-based charge for new solar customers after 2026 rate case.
Solar for a typical El Paso Electric home
| System | 4.5 kW (99% of 693 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $12,950 |
| First-year savings | $1,034 |
| Payback | 12.2 years |
| 25-year net | $18,624 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 36,257
- Share of customers
- 8.7%
- Residential solar capacity
- 197 MW
- Residential customers
- 417,578
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about El Paso Electric and solar
Does El Paso Electric have net metering?
Net excess at avoided cost; refund check if credits > $50. Demand-based charge for new solar customers after 2026 rate case.
How much does electricity cost with El Paso Electric?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 693 kWh a month, a bill of about $94.
Is solar worth it with El Paso Electric?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 4.5 kW system costing about $12,950 pays back in about 12.2 years, with $18,624 net over 25 years.
How many El Paso Electric customers have solar?
About 36,257 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 8.7% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: El Paso Electric Co (EIA ID 5701). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.