Ozark Electric Cooperative and solar
Ozark Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 31,915 homes in Missouri. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 16.4¢18% above Missouri average
- Typical bill
- $1891,152 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~27%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 12.9 yrs8.8 kW, cash
Export rules for Ozark Electric Cooperative customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Missouri rule).
Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
Solar for a typical Ozark Electric Cooperative home
| System | 8.8 kW (90% of 1,152 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $24,180 |
| First-year savings | $1,970 |
| Payback | 12.9 years |
| 25-year net | $26,035 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 610
- Share of customers
- 1.9%
- Residential solar capacity
- 6 MW
- Residential customers
- 31,915
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Ozark Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Ozark Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Ozark Electric Cooperative follows Missouri's rules: Missouri's net metering law nets usage and production within each monthly bill at full retail, but any net excess for the month is credited only at the utility's avoided fuel cost (a few cents/kWh), and unused credits expire after 12 months. Systems are capped at 100 kW.
How much does electricity cost with Ozark Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,152 kWh a month, a bill of about $189.
Is solar worth it with Ozark Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 8.8 kW system costing about $24,180 pays back in about 12.9 years, with $26,035 net over 25 years.
How many Ozark Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 610 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.9% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Ozark Electric Coop Inc - (MO) (EIA ID 14288). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.