Merced Irrigation District and solar
Merced Irrigation District is a public power district serving about 11,850 homes in California. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 25.4¢23% below California average
- Typical bill
- $152597 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~16%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- 11.9 yrs3 kW, cash
Export rules for Merced Irrigation District customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (California rule).
New customers of PG&E, SCE and SDG&E are on the Net Billing Tariff (often called NEM 3.0): solar you use at home saves the full retail rate, but power you send to the grid is credited at hourly 'avoided cost' values that average only about 4-5 cents/kWh (higher on summer evenings). Batteries greatly improve the economics. Municipal utilities like LADWP and SMUD set their own rules.
Solar for a typical Merced Irrigation District home
| System | 3 kW (68% of 597 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $812 |
| Payback | 11.9 years |
| 25-year net | $18,494 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 3,623
- Share of customers
- 30.6%
- Residential solar capacity
- 15 MW
- Residential customers
- 11,850
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Merced Irrigation District and solar
Does Merced Irrigation District have net metering?
Merced Irrigation District follows California's rules: New customers of PG&E, SCE and SDG&E are on the Net Billing Tariff (often called NEM 3.0): solar you use at home saves the full retail rate, but power you send to the grid is credited at hourly 'avoided cost' values that average only about 4-5 cents/kWh (higher on summer evenings). Batteries greatly improve the economics. Municipal utilities like LADWP and SMUD set their own rules.
How much does electricity cost with Merced Irrigation District?
Residential customers paid an average of 24.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 25.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 597 kWh a month, a bill of about $152.
Is solar worth it with Merced Irrigation District?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 3 kW system costing about $10,700 pays back in about 11.9 years, with $18,494 net over 25 years.
How many Merced Irrigation District customers have solar?
About 3,623 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 30.6% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Merced Irrigation District (EIA ID 12312). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.