Golden Valley Electric Association and solar
Golden Valley Electric Association is an electric cooperative serving about 40,931 homes in Alaska. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 32.4¢21% above Alaska average
- Typical bill
- $183567 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~35%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 12.1 yrs4.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Golden Valley Electric Association customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Alaska rule).
Larger regulated Alaska utilities must offer net metering for small systems, but you are credited for electricity you send to the grid only at the utility's 'non-firm' (avoided-cost) rate, which is much lower than what you pay. Utilities can stop accepting new net-metered systems once they hit a 1.5% cap.
Solar for a typical Golden Valley Electric Association home
| System | 4.7 kW (64% of 567 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $15,250 |
| First-year savings | $1,232 |
| Payback | 12.1 years |
| 25-year net | $21,801 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 891
- Share of customers
- 2.2%
- Residential solar capacity
- 5 MW
- Residential customers
- 40,931
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Golden Valley Electric Association and solar
Does Golden Valley Electric Association have net metering?
Golden Valley Electric Association follows Alaska's rules: Larger regulated Alaska utilities must offer net metering for small systems, but you are credited for electricity you send to the grid only at the utility's 'non-firm' (avoided-cost) rate, which is much lower than what you pay. Utilities can stop accepting new net-metered systems once they hit a 1.5% cap.
How much does electricity cost with Golden Valley Electric Association?
Residential customers paid an average of 31.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 32.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 567 kWh a month, a bill of about $183.
Is solar worth it with Golden Valley Electric Association?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 4.7 kW system costing about $15,250 pays back in about 12.1 years, with $21,801 net over 25 years.
How many Golden Valley Electric Association customers have solar?
About 891 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 2.2% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc (EIA ID 7353). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.