Joe Wheeler Electric Member and solar
Joe Wheeler Electric Member is an electric cooperative serving about 37,109 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.)
- 15.8¢4% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $2141,359 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~19%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 19 yrs5.8 kW, cash
Export rules for Joe Wheeler Electric Member 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 Joe Wheeler Electric Member home
| System | 5.8 kW (50% of 1,359 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $21,480 |
| First-year savings | $1,016 |
| Payback | 19.0 years |
| 25-year net | $9,613 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 37,109
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Joe Wheeler Electric Member and solar
Does Joe Wheeler Electric Member have net metering?
Joe Wheeler Electric Member 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 Joe Wheeler Electric Member?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,359 kWh a month, a bill of about $214.
Is solar worth it with Joe Wheeler Electric Member?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.8 kW system costing about $21,480 pays back in about 19 years, with $9,613 net over 25 years.
How many Joe Wheeler Electric Member customers have solar?
Joe Wheeler Electric Member did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Joe Wheeler Elec Member Corp (EIA ID 9739). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.