Northwestern Rural E C A and solar
Northwestern Rural E C A is an electric cooperative serving about 18,200 homes in Pennsylvania. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 17.3¢17% below Pennsylvania average
- Typical bill
- $162940 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 11.5 yrs8.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Northwestern Rural E C A customers
Full retail net metering (Pennsylvania rule).
Pennsylvania's electric distribution utilities offer full retail net metering for home systems up to 50 kW. Excess kWh roll over each month, and any surplus left at the end of the June-May year is paid at the 'price to compare' (generation + transmission), which is lower than retail.
Solar for a typical Northwestern Rural E C A home
| System | 8.7 kW (100% of 940 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $25,250 |
| First-year savings | $1,856 |
| Payback | 11.5 years |
| 25-year net | $40,103 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 85
- Share of customers
- 0.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 18,200
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Northwestern Rural E C A and solar
Does Northwestern Rural E C A have net metering?
Northwestern Rural E C A follows Pennsylvania's rules: Pennsylvania's electric distribution utilities offer full retail net metering for home systems up to 50 kW. Excess kWh roll over each month, and any surplus left at the end of the June-May year is paid at the 'price to compare' (generation + transmission), which is lower than retail.
How much does electricity cost with Northwestern Rural E C A?
Residential customers paid an average of 16.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 17.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 940 kWh a month, a bill of about $162.
Is solar worth it with Northwestern Rural E C A?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 8.7 kW system costing about $25,250 pays back in about 11.5 years, with $40,103 net over 25 years.
How many Northwestern Rural E C A customers have solar?
About 85 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Northwestern Rural E C A, Inc - (PA) (EIA ID 40293). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.