Empire District Electric and solar
Empire District Electric is an investor-owned utility serving about 161,373 homes in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.4¢10% above Missouri average
- Typical bill
- $1611,043 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~29%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 13.3 yrs7.6 kW, cash
Export rules for Empire District Electric customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Missouri rule).
Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
Solar for a typical Empire District Electric home
| System | 7.6 kW (90% of 1,043 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $21,360 |
| First-year savings | $1,688 |
| Payback | 13.3 years |
| 25-year net | $21,523 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 5,574
- Share of customers
- 3.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 81 MW
- Residential customers
- 161,373
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Empire District Electric and solar
Does Empire District Electric have net metering?
Empire District Electric follows Missouri's rules: Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
How much does electricity cost with Empire District Electric?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.7¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,043 kWh a month, a bill of about $161.
Is solar worth it with Empire District Electric?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 7.6 kW system costing about $21,360 pays back in about 13.3 years, with $21,523 net over 25 years.
How many Empire District Electric customers have solar?
About 5,574 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 3.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Empire District Electric Co (EIA ID 5860). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.