Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative and solar
Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 27,485 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.)
- 13.8¢16% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $1651,193 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~22%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 21.6 yrs5.1 kW, cash
Export rules for Sand Mountain 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 Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative home
| System | 5.1 kW (50% of 1,193 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,310 |
| First-year savings | $790 |
| Payback | 21.6 years |
| 25-year net | $4,263 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 27,485
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Sand Mountain 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 Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,193 kWh a month, a bill of about $165.
Is solar worth it with Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.1 kW system costing about $19,310 pays back in about 21.6 years, with $4,263 net over 25 years.
How many Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Sand Mountain Electric Coop (EIA ID 16629). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.