MidAmerican Energy and solar
MidAmerican Energy is an investor-owned utility serving about 717,275 homes in Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 11.5¢19% below Iowa average
- Typical bill
- $94821 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- Never3.6 kW, cash
Export rules for MidAmerican Energy customers
Full retail net metering, varies netting.
Inflow-outflow billing at retail energy rate. Relatively low retail rates.
Solar for a typical MidAmerican Energy home
| System | 3.6 kW (50% of 821 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $15,200 |
| First-year savings | $567 |
| Payback | never within 25 years |
| 25-year net | −$2,111 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 5,523
- Share of customers
- 0.8%
- Residential solar capacity
- 49 MW
- Residential customers
- 717,275
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about MidAmerican Energy and solar
Does MidAmerican Energy have net metering?
Inflow-outflow billing at retail energy rate. Relatively low retail rates.
How much does electricity cost with MidAmerican Energy?
Residential customers paid an average of 11.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 11.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 821 kWh a month, a bill of about $94.
Is solar worth it with MidAmerican Energy?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 3.6 kW system costing about $15,200 does not pay back within 25 years, with −$2,111 net over 25 years.
How many MidAmerican Energy customers have solar?
About 5,523 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.8% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: MidAmerican Energy Co (EIA ID 12341). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.