Houston County Electric Cooperative and solar
Houston County Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 21,761 homes in Texas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.8¢1% below Texas average
- Typical bill
- $138873 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~38%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 14.9 yrs3.4 kW, cash
Export rules for Houston County Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Texas rule).
Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
Solar for a typical Houston County Electric Cooperative home
| System | 3.4 kW (49% of 873 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $10,640 |
| First-year savings | $691 |
| Payback | 14.9 years |
| 25-year net | $9,534 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 21,761
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Houston County Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Houston County Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Houston County Electric Cooperative follows Texas's rules: Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
How much does electricity cost with Houston County Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 873 kWh a month, a bill of about $138.
Is solar worth it with Houston County Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 3.4 kW system costing about $10,640 pays back in about 14.9 years, with $9,534 net over 25 years.
How many Houston County Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Houston County Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Houston County Elec Coop Inc (EIA ID 8898). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.