Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative and solar
Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 23,203 homes in Missouri. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.8¢1% below Missouri average
- Typical bill
- $1571,141 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~33%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 15.5 yrs7.8 kW, cash
Export rules for Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Missouri rule).
Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
Solar for a typical Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative home
| System | 7.8 kW (80% of 1,141 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $21,830 |
| First-year savings | $1,494 |
| Payback | 15.5 years |
| 25-year net | $15,137 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 220
- Share of customers
- 0.9%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 23,203
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative follows Missouri's rules: Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
How much does electricity cost with Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,141 kWh a month, a bill of about $157.
Is solar worth it with Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 7.8 kW system costing about $21,830 pays back in about 15.5 years, with $15,137 net over 25 years.
How many Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 220 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.9% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Howell-Oregon Elec Coop, Inc (EIA ID 8934). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.