Empire Electric Association and solar
Empire Electric Association is an electric cooperative serving about 13,966 homes in Colorado, Utah. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 16.6¢0% above Colorado average
- Typical bill
- $116701 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 12.3 yrs5.3 kW, cash
Export rules for Empire Electric Association customers
Full retail net metering (Colorado rule).
Colorado requires investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy to credit solar exports at the full retail rate, with credits rolling over month to month indefinitely. Co-ops and large municipal utilities must also offer net metering, though their rules and size limits differ.
Solar for a typical Empire Electric Association home
| System | 5.3 kW (99% of 701 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $17,015 |
| First-year savings | $1,337 |
| Payback | 12.3 years |
| 25-year net | $23,251 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 682
- Share of customers
- 4.9%
- Residential solar capacity
- 4 MW
- Residential customers
- 13,966
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Empire Electric Association and solar
Does Empire Electric Association have net metering?
Empire Electric Association follows Colorado's rules: Colorado requires investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy to credit solar exports at the full retail rate, with credits rolling over month to month indefinitely. Co-ops and large municipal utilities must also offer net metering, though their rules and size limits differ.
How much does electricity cost with Empire Electric Association?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.7¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.6¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 701 kWh a month, a bill of about $116.
Is solar worth it with Empire Electric Association?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 5.3 kW system costing about $17,015 pays back in about 12.3 years, with $23,251 net over 25 years.
How many Empire Electric Association customers have solar?
About 682 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 4.9% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Empire Electric Assn, Inc (EIA ID 5862). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.