Ketchikan Public Utilities and solar
Ketchikan Public Utilities is a municipal utility serving about 6,608 homes in Alaska. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.3¢47% below Alaska average
- Typical bill
- $142993 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~35%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 23.3 yrs6.4 kW, cash
Export rules for Ketchikan Public Utilities 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 Ketchikan Public Utilities home
| System | 6.4 kW (50% of 993 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,500 |
| First-year savings | $803 |
| Payback | 23.3 years |
| 25-year net | $1,838 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 6,608
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Ketchikan Public Utilities and solar
Does Ketchikan Public Utilities have net metering?
Ketchikan Public Utilities 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 Ketchikan Public Utilities?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 993 kWh a month, a bill of about $142.
Is solar worth it with Ketchikan Public Utilities?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 6.4 kW system costing about $19,500 pays back in about 23.3 years, with $1,838 net over 25 years.
How many Ketchikan Public Utilities customers have solar?
Ketchikan Public Utilities did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Ketchikan Public Utilities (EIA ID 10210). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.