Midland Power Cooperative and solar
Midland Power Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 12,083 homes in Iowa. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.2¢0% above Iowa average
- Typical bill
- $2101,479 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 20.6 yrs6.5 kW, cash
Export rules for Midland Power Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Iowa rule).
Iowa's two investor-owned utilities (MidAmerican and Alliant) credit solar exports at the retail energy rate through net billing or inflow-outflow billing. Customers who connect before a future value-of-solar rate takes effect (by July 2027 at the latest) keep retail-rate export credit for 20 years.
Solar for a typical Midland Power Cooperative home
| System | 6.5 kW (50% of 1,479 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $24,625 |
| First-year savings | $1,261 |
| Payback | 20.6 years |
| 25-year net | $5,799 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 18
- Share of customers
- 0.1%
- Residential solar capacity
- 0 MW
- Residential customers
- 12,083
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Midland Power Cooperative and solar
Does Midland Power Cooperative have net metering?
Midland Power Cooperative follows Iowa's rules: Iowa's two investor-owned utilities (MidAmerican and Alliant) credit solar exports at the retail energy rate through net billing or inflow-outflow billing. Customers who connect before a future value-of-solar rate takes effect (by July 2027 at the latest) keep retail-rate export credit for 20 years.
How much does electricity cost with Midland Power Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.7¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,479 kWh a month, a bill of about $210.
Is solar worth it with Midland Power Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 6.5 kW system costing about $24,625 pays back in about 20.6 years, with $5,799 net over 25 years.
How many Midland Power Cooperative customers have solar?
About 18 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.1% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Midland Power Coop (EIA ID 12450). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.