Northern States Power and solar
Northern States Power is an investor-owned utility serving about 230,313 homes in Wisconsin, Michigan. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 16.1¢14% below Wisconsin average
- Typical bill
- $116722 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 14.8 yrs5.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Northern States Power customers
Full retail net metering, monthly netting.
<=100 kW; monthly excess at retail carried forward; annual balance paid at lower value.
Solar for a typical Northern States Power home
| System | 5.9 kW (90% of 722 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $21,200, $18,800 after incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,258 |
| Payback | 14.8 years |
| 25-year net | $16,448 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 789
- Share of customers
- 0.3%
- Residential solar capacity
- 11 MW
- Residential customers
- 230,313
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Northern States Power and solar
Does Northern States Power have net metering?
<=100 kW; monthly excess at retail carried forward; annual balance paid at lower value.
How much does electricity cost with Northern States Power?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 722 kWh a month, a bill of about $116.
Is solar worth it with Northern States Power?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 5.9 kW system costing about $18,800 pays back in about 14.8 years, with $16,448 net over 25 years.
How many Northern States Power customers have solar?
About 789 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.3% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Northern States Power Co (EIA ID 13780). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.