San Luis Valley R E C and solar
San Luis Valley R E C is an electric cooperative serving about 8,948 homes in Colorado. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 20.5¢24% above Colorado average
- Typical bill
- $133649 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 10.2 yrs4.9 kW, cash
Export rules for San Luis Valley R E C 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 San Luis Valley R E C home
| System | 4.9 kW (99% of 649 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $15,995 |
| First-year savings | $1,524 |
| Payback | 10.2 years |
| 25-year net | $30,933 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 306
- Share of customers
- 3.4%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 8,948
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about San Luis Valley R E C and solar
Does San Luis Valley R E C have net metering?
San Luis Valley R E C 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 San Luis Valley R E C?
Residential customers paid an average of 19.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 20.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 649 kWh a month, a bill of about $133.
Is solar worth it with San Luis Valley R E C?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 4.9 kW system costing about $15,995 pays back in about 10.2 years, with $30,933 net over 25 years.
How many San Luis Valley R E C customers have solar?
About 306 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 3.4% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: San Luis Valley R E C, Inc (EIA ID 16603). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.