Otter Tail Power and solar
Otter Tail Power is an investor-owned utility serving about 104,750 homes in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 11.5¢29% below Minnesota average
- Typical bill
- $114997 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 24.3 yrs4.5 kW, cash
Export rules for Otter Tail Power customers
Full retail net metering, monthly netting.
Statutory average retail rate for <40 kW.
Solar for a typical Otter Tail Power home
| System | 4.5 kW (50% of 997 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,125 |
| First-year savings | $689 |
| Payback | 24.3 years |
| 25-year net | $656 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 89
- Share of customers
- 0.1%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 104,750
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Otter Tail Power and solar
Does Otter Tail Power have net metering?
Statutory average retail rate for <40 kW.
How much does electricity cost with Otter Tail Power?
Residential customers paid an average of 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 11.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 997 kWh a month, a bill of about $114.
Is solar worth it with Otter Tail Power?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.5 kW system costing about $18,125 pays back in about 24.3 years, with $656 net over 25 years.
How many Otter Tail Power customers have solar?
About 89 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.1% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Otter Tail Power Co (EIA ID 14232). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.