Meade County Rural E C C and solar
Meade County Rural E C C is an electric cooperative serving about 29,572 homes in Kentucky. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 16.2¢16% above Kentucky average
- Typical bill
- $1671,034 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~46%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- 16.6 yrs4.6 kW, cash
Export rules for Meade County Rural E C C customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (Kentucky rule).
Kentucky requires net metering for systems up to 45 kW, but since SB 100 (2019) the PSC sets the export credit in each utility's rate case. For the big investor-owned utilities, power you send to the grid earns a bill credit of roughly 7-10 cents/kWh, well below the retail rate.
Solar for a typical Meade County Rural E C C home
| System | 4.6 kW (50% of 1,034 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $14,310 |
| First-year savings | $864 |
| Payback | 16.6 years |
| 25-year net | $9,177 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 178
- Share of customers
- 0.6%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 29,572
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Meade County Rural E C C and solar
Does Meade County Rural E C C have net metering?
Meade County Rural E C C follows Kentucky's rules: Kentucky requires net metering for systems up to 45 kW, but since SB 100 (2019) the PSC sets the export credit in each utility's rate case. For the big investor-owned utilities, power you send to the grid earns a bill credit of roughly 7-10 cents/kWh, well below the retail rate.
How much does electricity cost with Meade County Rural E C C?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,034 kWh a month, a bill of about $167.
Is solar worth it with Meade County Rural E C C?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.6 kW system costing about $14,310 pays back in about 16.6 years, with $9,177 net over 25 years.
How many Meade County Rural E C C customers have solar?
About 178 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.6% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Meade County Rural E C C (EIA ID 12243). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.