First Electric Cooperative and solar
First Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 96,685 homes in Arkansas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.5¢0% above Arkansas average
- Typical bill
- $1621,202 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~30%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 14.2 yrs9.3 kW, cash
Export rules for First Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Arkansas rule).
Under Act 278 of 2023, new solar customers (applications after Sept 30, 2024) still offset their own usage at retail, but any excess electricity sent to the grid is credited only at the utility's avoided cost, often under half of retail. Customers who connected earlier keep 1:1 retail credit through 2039-2040.
Solar for a typical First Electric Cooperative home
| System | 9.3 kW (90% of 1,202 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $24,425 |
| First-year savings | $1,712 |
| Payback | 14.2 years |
| 25-year net | $24,582 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 1,926
- Share of customers
- 2.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 18 MW
- Residential customers
- 96,685
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about First Electric Cooperative and solar
Does First Electric Cooperative have net metering?
First Electric Cooperative follows Arkansas's rules: Under Act 278 of 2023, new solar customers (applications after Sept 30, 2024) still offset their own usage at retail, but any excess electricity sent to the grid is credited only at the utility's avoided cost, often under half of retail. Customers who connected earlier keep 1:1 retail credit through 2039-2040.
How much does electricity cost with First Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,202 kWh a month, a bill of about $162.
Is solar worth it with First Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 9.3 kW system costing about $24,425 pays back in about 14.2 years, with $24,582 net over 25 years.
How many First Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 1,926 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 2.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: First Electric Coop Corp (EIA ID 6342). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.