Matanuska Electric Association and solar
Matanuska Electric Association is an electric cooperative serving about 65,371 homes in Alaska. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 25.2¢6% below Alaska average
- Typical bill
- $149589 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~35%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 14.8 yrs3.8 kW, cash
Export rules for Matanuska Electric Association 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 Matanuska Electric Association home
| System | 3.8 kW (50% of 589 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $13,000 |
| First-year savings | $843 |
| Payback | 14.8 years |
| 25-year net | $11,898 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 517
- Share of customers
- 0.8%
- Residential solar capacity
- 3 MW
- Residential customers
- 65,371
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Matanuska Electric Association and solar
Does Matanuska Electric Association have net metering?
Matanuska Electric Association 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 Matanuska Electric Association?
Residential customers paid an average of 24.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 25.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 589 kWh a month, a bill of about $149.
Is solar worth it with Matanuska Electric Association?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 3.8 kW system costing about $13,000 pays back in about 14.8 years, with $11,898 net over 25 years.
How many Matanuska Electric Association customers have solar?
About 517 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.8% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Matanuska Electric Assn Inc (EIA ID 11824). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.