Franklin Electric Cooperative and solar
Franklin Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 5,997 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.)
- 14.9¢9% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $1681,127 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~20%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 20.4 yrs4.8 kW, cash
Export rules for Franklin Electric Cooperative 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 Franklin Electric Cooperative home
| System | 4.8 kW (50% of 1,127 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,380 |
| First-year savings | $799 |
| Payback | 20.4 years |
| 25-year net | $5,830 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 5,997
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Franklin Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Franklin Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Franklin Electric Cooperative 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 Franklin Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.9¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,127 kWh a month, a bill of about $168.
Is solar worth it with Franklin Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.8 kW system costing about $18,380 pays back in about 20.4 years, with $5,830 net over 25 years.
How many Franklin Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Franklin Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Franklin Electric Coop - (AL) (EIA ID 6717). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.