Roughrider Electric Cooperativ and solar
Roughrider Electric Cooperativ is an electric cooperative serving about 11,246 homes in North Dakota. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 11.3¢8% below North Dakota average
- Typical bill
- $1421,258 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~27%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 21.7 yrs5.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Roughrider Electric Cooperativ customers
Avoided-cost export credit (North Dakota rule).
North Dakota's net metering rule only covers the three investor-owned utilities (Xcel, Otter Tail, Montana-Dakota) for systems up to 100 kW. Solar you use at home offsets retail power, but extra energy left over each month is bought at the utility's low avoided-cost rate (a few cents per kWh).
Solar for a typical Roughrider Electric Cooperativ home
| System | 5.7 kW (50% of 1,258 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $17,750 |
| First-year savings | $850 |
| Payback | 21.7 years |
| 25-year net | $3,159 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 11,246
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Roughrider Electric Cooperativ and solar
Does Roughrider Electric Cooperativ have net metering?
Roughrider Electric Cooperativ follows North Dakota's rules: North Dakota's net metering rule only covers the three investor-owned utilities (Xcel, Otter Tail, Montana-Dakota) for systems up to 100 kW. Solar you use at home offsets retail power, but extra energy left over each month is bought at the utility's low avoided-cost rate (a few cents per kWh).
How much does electricity cost with Roughrider Electric Cooperativ?
Residential customers paid an average of 10.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 11.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,258 kWh a month, a bill of about $142.
Is solar worth it with Roughrider Electric Cooperativ?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.7 kW system costing about $17,750 pays back in about 21.7 years, with $3,159 net over 25 years.
How many Roughrider Electric Cooperativ customers have solar?
Roughrider Electric Cooperativ did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Roughrider Electric Cooperativ (EIA ID 55959). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.