Karnes Electric Cooperative and solar
Karnes Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 13,599 homes in Texas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 10.6¢33% below Texas average
- Typical bill
- $1591,494 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~56%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 18.8 yrs5.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Karnes 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 Karnes Electric Cooperative home
| System | 5.9 kW (50% of 1,494 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $15,890 |
| First-year savings | $846 |
| Payback | 18.8 years |
| 25-year net | $6,762 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 136
- Share of customers
- 1.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 13,599
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Karnes Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Karnes Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Karnes 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 Karnes Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 10.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 10.6¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,494 kWh a month, a bill of about $159.
Is solar worth it with Karnes Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.9 kW system costing about $15,890 pays back in about 18.8 years, with $6,762 net over 25 years.
How many Karnes Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 136 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Karnes Electric Coop Inc (EIA ID 10009). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.