Poudre Valley REA and solar
Poudre Valley REA is an electric cooperative serving about 50,933 homes in Colorado. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.2¢21% below Colorado average
- Typical bill
- $115875 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 15 yrs6.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Poudre Valley REA customers
Full retail net metering (Colorado rule).
Colorado requires investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy to credit solar exports at the full retail rate, with credits rolling over month to month indefinitely. Co-ops and large municipal utilities must also offer net metering, though their rules and size limits differ.
Solar for a typical Poudre Valley REA home
| System | 6.7 kW (99% of 875 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $20,585 |
| First-year savings | $1,317 |
| Payback | 15.0 years |
| 25-year net | $17,884 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 2,448
- Share of customers
- 4.8%
- Residential solar capacity
- 20 MW
- Residential customers
- 50,933
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Poudre Valley REA and solar
Does Poudre Valley REA have net metering?
Poudre Valley REA follows Colorado's rules: Colorado requires investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy to credit solar exports at the full retail rate, with credits rolling over month to month indefinitely. Co-ops and large municipal utilities must also offer net metering, though their rules and size limits differ.
How much does electricity cost with Poudre Valley REA?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 875 kWh a month, a bill of about $115.
Is solar worth it with Poudre Valley REA?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 6.7 kW system costing about $20,585 pays back in about 15 years, with $17,884 net over 25 years.
How many Poudre Valley REA customers have solar?
About 2,448 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 4.8% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Poudre Valley REA, Inc (EIA ID 15257). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.