Fort Payne Improvement Authority and solar
Fort Payne Improvement Authority is a municipal utility serving about 6,963 homes in Alabama. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.3¢19% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $1561,177 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~23%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 22.4 yrs5 kW, cash
Export rules for Fort Payne Improvement Authority customers
No statewide net metering (Alabama rule).
Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
Solar for a typical Fort Payne Improvement Authority home
| System | 5 kW (50% of 1,177 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,000 |
| First-year savings | $748 |
| Payback | 22.4 years |
| 25-year net | $3,136 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 6,963
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Fort Payne Improvement Authority and solar
Does Fort Payne Improvement Authority have net metering?
Fort Payne Improvement Authority follows Alabama's rules: Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
How much does electricity cost with Fort Payne Improvement Authority?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,177 kWh a month, a bill of about $156.
Is solar worth it with Fort Payne Improvement Authority?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5 kW system costing about $19,000 pays back in about 22.4 years, with $3,136 net over 25 years.
How many Fort Payne Improvement Authority customers have solar?
Fort Payne Improvement Authority did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Fort Payne Improvement Authority (EIA ID 6612). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.