Northwestern Wisconsin Electric and solar
Northwestern Wisconsin Electric is an investor-owned utility serving about 13,050 homes in Wisconsin, Minnesota. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.2¢19% below Wisconsin average
- Typical bill
- $87574 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~26%Varies by utility
- Typical payback
- 16.4 yrs4.2 kW, cash
Export rules for Northwestern Wisconsin Electric customers
Varies by utility (Wisconsin rule).
Wisconsin has no statewide net metering law; each utility's PSC-approved tariff applies. Most offer monthly netting for systems up to ~20 kW (We Energies up to 300 kW), but some pay only avoided cost for monthly excess.
Solar for a typical Northwestern Wisconsin Electric home
| System | 4.2 kW (81% of 574 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $16,100, $13,700 after incentives |
| First-year savings | $817 |
| Payback | 16.4 years |
| 25-year net | $9,249 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 97
- Share of customers
- 0.7%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 13,050
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Northwestern Wisconsin Electric and solar
Does Northwestern Wisconsin Electric have net metering?
Northwestern Wisconsin Electric follows Wisconsin's rules: Wisconsin has no statewide net metering law; each utility's PSC-approved tariff applies. Most offer monthly netting for systems up to ~20 kW (We Energies up to 300 kW), but some pay only avoided cost for monthly excess.
How much does electricity cost with Northwestern Wisconsin Electric?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 574 kWh a month, a bill of about $87.
Is solar worth it with Northwestern Wisconsin Electric?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.2 kW system costing about $13,700 pays back in about 16.4 years, with $9,249 net over 25 years.
How many Northwestern Wisconsin Electric customers have solar?
About 97 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.7% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Northwestern Wisconsin Elec Co (EIA ID 13815). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.