Ouachita Electric Cooperative and solar
Ouachita Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 8,392 homes in Arkansas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.1¢5% above Arkansas average
- Typical bill
- $1441,026 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~30%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 13.9 yrs7.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Ouachita Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Arkansas rule).
Under Act 278 of 2023, new solar customers (applications after Sept 30, 2024) still offset their own usage at retail, but any excess electricity sent to the grid is credited only at the utility's avoided cost, often under half of retail. Customers who connected earlier keep 1:1 retail credit through 2039-2040.
Solar for a typical Ouachita Electric Cooperative home
| System | 7.9 kW (90% of 1,026 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $21,275 |
| First-year savings | $1,516 |
| Payback | 13.9 years |
| 25-year net | $22,400 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 8,392
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Ouachita Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Ouachita Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Ouachita Electric Cooperative follows Arkansas's rules: Under Act 278 of 2023, new solar customers (applications after Sept 30, 2024) still offset their own usage at retail, but any excess electricity sent to the grid is credited only at the utility's avoided cost, often under half of retail. Customers who connected earlier keep 1:1 retail credit through 2039-2040.
How much does electricity cost with Ouachita Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,026 kWh a month, a bill of about $144.
Is solar worth it with Ouachita Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 7.9 kW system costing about $21,275 pays back in about 13.9 years, with $22,400 net over 25 years.
How many Ouachita Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Ouachita Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Ouachita Electric Coop Corp (EIA ID 14238). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.