Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative and solar
Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 25,995 homes in Oregon. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 11.0¢29% below Oregon average
- Typical bill
- $1101,001 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 20.2 yrs5.1 kW, cash
Export rules for Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Oregon rule).
Oregon's big utilities (PGE, Pacific Power, Idaho Power) offer true 1:1 net metering. Extra credits roll forward month to month, but anything left at the annual true-up is donated to low-income assistance rather than paid out.
Solar for a typical Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative home
| System | 5.1 kW (50% of 1,001 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $15,230 |
| First-year savings | $662 |
| Payback | 20.2 years |
| 25-year net | $5,411 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 130
- Share of customers
- 0.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 25,995
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative and solar
Does Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative have net metering?
Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative follows Oregon's rules: Oregon's big utilities (PGE, Pacific Power, Idaho Power) offer true 1:1 net metering. Extra credits roll forward month to month, but anything left at the annual true-up is donated to low-income assistance rather than paid out.
How much does electricity cost with Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 11.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 11.0¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,001 kWh a month, a bill of about $110.
Is solar worth it with Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.1 kW system costing about $15,230 pays back in about 20.2 years, with $5,411 net over 25 years.
How many Oregon Trail El Cons Cooperative customers have solar?
About 130 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc (EIA ID 14109). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.