Flathead Electric Cooperative and solar
Flathead Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 64,334 homes in Montana. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 10.7¢23% below Montana average
- Typical bill
- $1271,184 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- Never6.2 kW, cash
Export rules for Flathead Electric Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Montana rule).
NorthWestern Energy customers get kWh-for-kWh net metering for systems up to 50 kW. Excess kWh roll forward monthly but are zeroed out (forfeited) at the annual anniversary.
Solar for a typical Flathead Electric Cooperative home
| System | 6.2 kW (50% of 1,184 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,380 |
| First-year savings | $765 |
| Payback | never within 25 years |
| 25-year net | −$1,294 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 278
- Share of customers
- 0.4%
- Residential solar capacity
- 3 MW
- Residential customers
- 64,334
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Flathead Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Flathead Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Flathead Electric Cooperative follows Montana's rules: NorthWestern Energy customers get kWh-for-kWh net metering for systems up to 50 kW. Excess kWh roll forward monthly but are zeroed out (forfeited) at the annual anniversary.
How much does electricity cost with Flathead Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 10.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 10.7¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,184 kWh a month, a bill of about $127.
Is solar worth it with Flathead Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 6.2 kW system costing about $18,380 does not pay back within 25 years, with −$1,294 net over 25 years.
How many Flathead Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 278 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.4% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Flathead Electric Coop Inc (EIA ID 6395). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.