Powder River Energy and solar
Powder River Energy is an electric cooperative serving about 15,599 homes in Wyoming, Montana. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 12.8¢9% below Wyoming average
- Typical bill
- $1481,155 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 15.7 yrs8.2 kW, cash
Export rules for Powder River Energy customers
Full retail net metering (Wyoming rule).
Wyoming requires all utilities to offer net metering for systems up to 25 kW. Excess credits roll over at retail month to month, and anything left at the end of the year is paid at avoided cost.
Solar for a typical Powder River Energy home
| System | 8.2 kW (90% of 1,155 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $24,000 |
| First-year savings | $1,590 |
| Payback | 15.7 years |
| 25-year net | $16,743 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 130
- Share of customers
- 0.8%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 15,599
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Powder River Energy and solar
Does Powder River Energy have net metering?
Powder River Energy follows Wyoming's rules: Wyoming requires all utilities to offer net metering for systems up to 25 kW. Excess credits roll over at retail month to month, and anything left at the end of the year is paid at avoided cost.
How much does electricity cost with Powder River Energy?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 12.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,155 kWh a month, a bill of about $148.
Is solar worth it with Powder River Energy?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 8.2 kW system costing about $24,000 pays back in about 15.7 years, with $16,743 net over 25 years.
How many Powder River Energy customers have solar?
About 130 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.8% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Powder River Energy Corp (EIA ID 19156). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.