Los Alamos County and solar
Los Alamos County is a municipal utility serving about 8,395 homes in New Mexico. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.3¢0% below New Mexico average
- Typical bill
- $96630 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~26%Varies by utility
- Typical payback
- 13.1 yrs4.2 kW, cash
Export rules for Los Alamos County customers
Varies by utility (New Mexico rule).
For systems up to 10 kW, New Mexico utilities either carry forward excess kWh credits or pay for them at avoided cost; most small residential systems effectively get retail offset for self-use and monthly netting. Larger systems get avoided cost for excess.
Solar for a typical Los Alamos County home
| System | 4.2 kW (99% of 630 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $13,580 |
| First-year savings | $1,069 |
| Payback | 13.1 years |
| 25-year net | $14,455 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 514
- Share of customers
- 6.1%
- Residential solar capacity
- 3 MW
- Residential customers
- 8,395
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Los Alamos County and solar
Does Los Alamos County have net metering?
Los Alamos County follows New Mexico's rules: For systems up to 10 kW, New Mexico utilities either carry forward excess kWh credits or pay for them at avoided cost; most small residential systems effectively get retail offset for self-use and monthly netting. Larger systems get avoided cost for excess.
How much does electricity cost with Los Alamos County?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 630 kWh a month, a bill of about $96.
Is solar worth it with Los Alamos County?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 4.2 kW system costing about $13,580 pays back in about 13.1 years, with $14,455 net over 25 years.
How many Los Alamos County customers have solar?
About 514 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 6.1% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Los Alamos County - (NM) (EIA ID 11204). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.