NorthWestern Energy and solar
NorthWestern Energy is an investor-owned utility serving about 334,012 homes in Montana, Wyoming. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.4¢11% above Montana average
- Typical bill
- $109707 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 16.2 yrs6 kW, cash
Export rules for NorthWestern Energy customers
Full retail net metering, monthly netting.
50 kW cap; annual forfeiture of excess kWh.
Solar for a typical NorthWestern Energy home
| System | 6 kW (89% of 707 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $17,900 |
| First-year savings | $1,166 |
| Payback | 16.2 years |
| 25-year net | $11,079 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 11,386
- Share of customers
- 3.4%
- Residential solar capacity
- 83 MW
- Residential customers
- 334,012
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about NorthWestern Energy and solar
Does NorthWestern Energy have net metering?
50 kW cap; annual forfeiture of excess kWh.
How much does electricity cost with NorthWestern Energy?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 707 kWh a month, a bill of about $109.
Is solar worth it with NorthWestern Energy?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 6 kW system costing about $17,900 pays back in about 16.2 years, with $11,079 net over 25 years.
How many NorthWestern Energy customers have solar?
About 11,386 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 3.4% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) (EIA ID 12825). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.