North Arkansas Electric Cooperative and solar
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 36,595 homes in Arkansas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.8¢10% above Arkansas average
- Typical bill
- $1501,011 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~30%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 13.2 yrs7.8 kW, cash
Export rules for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Arkansas rule).
Under Act 278 of 2023, new solar customers (applications after Sept 30, 2024) still offset their own usage at retail, but any excess electricity sent to the grid is credited only at the utility's avoided cost, often under half of retail. Customers who connected earlier keep 1:1 retail credit through 2039-2040.
Solar for a typical North Arkansas Electric Cooperative home
| System | 7.8 kW (90% of 1,011 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $21,050 |
| First-year savings | $1,575 |
| Payback | 13.2 years |
| 25-year net | $24,679 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 341
- Share of customers
- 0.9%
- Residential solar capacity
- 4 MW
- Residential customers
- 36,595
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about North Arkansas Electric Cooperative and solar
Does North Arkansas Electric Cooperative have net metering?
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative follows Arkansas's rules: Under Act 278 of 2023, new solar customers (applications after Sept 30, 2024) still offset their own usage at retail, but any excess electricity sent to the grid is credited only at the utility's avoided cost, often under half of retail. Customers who connected earlier keep 1:1 retail credit through 2039-2040.
How much does electricity cost with North Arkansas Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,011 kWh a month, a bill of about $150.
Is solar worth it with North Arkansas Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 7.8 kW system costing about $21,050 pays back in about 13.2 years, with $24,679 net over 25 years.
How many North Arkansas Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 341 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.9% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: North Arkansas Elec Coop, Inc (EIA ID 13676). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.