Pea River Electric Cooperative and solar
Pea River Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 15,013 homes in Alabama. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 18.0¢9% above Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $2051,144 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~17%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 17.4 yrs4.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Pea River Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Alabama rule).
Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
Solar for a typical Pea River Electric Cooperative home
| System | 4.9 kW (50% of 1,144 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,690 |
| First-year savings | $968 |
| Payback | 17.4 years |
| 25-year net | $11,573 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 15,013
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Pea River Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Pea River Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Pea River Electric Cooperative follows Alabama's rules: Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
How much does electricity cost with Pea River Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 17.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 18.0¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,144 kWh a month, a bill of about $205.
Is solar worth it with Pea River Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.9 kW system costing about $18,690 pays back in about 17.4 years, with $11,573 net over 25 years.
How many Pea River Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Pea River Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Pea River Electric Coop (EIA ID 14602). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.