Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative and solar
Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 5,934 homes in Texas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.2¢5% below Texas average
- Typical bill
- $83549 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~40%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 18.2 yrs3 kW, cash
Export rules for Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Texas rule).
Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
Solar for a typical Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative home
| System | 3 kW (69% of 549 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $9,800 |
| First-year savings | $525 |
| Payback | 18.2 years |
| 25-year net | $4,718 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 5,934
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative follows Texas's rules: Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
How much does electricity cost with Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 549 kWh a month, a bill of about $83.
Is solar worth it with Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 3 kW system costing about $9,800 pays back in about 18.2 years, with $4,718 net over 25 years.
How many Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Southwest Texas Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Southwest Texas Elec Coop, Inc (EIA ID 17693). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.