Sumter Electric Cooperative and solar
Sumter Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 240,241 homes in Florida. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.2¢1% below Florida average
- Typical bill
- $1531,010 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 10.8 yrs8.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Sumter Electric Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Florida rule).
Florida's investor-owned utilities (FPL, Duke Energy Florida, TECO) must offer full retail net metering: exports earn kWh credits that roll over for up to 12 months, then any leftover is paid at a low avoided-cost rate. Municipal and co-op utilities set their own terms, and some pay less.
Solar for a typical Sumter Electric Cooperative home
| System | 8.7 kW (110% of 1,010 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $20,465 |
| First-year savings | $1,875 |
| Payback | 10.8 years |
| 25-year net | $36,899 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 6,842
- Share of customers
- 2.9%
- Residential solar capacity
- 40 MW
- Residential customers
- 240,241
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Sumter Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Sumter Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Sumter Electric Cooperative follows Florida's rules: Florida's investor-owned utilities (FPL, Duke Energy Florida, TECO) must offer full retail net metering: exports earn kWh credits that roll over for up to 12 months, then any leftover is paid at a low avoided-cost rate. Municipal and co-op utilities set their own terms, and some pay less.
How much does electricity cost with Sumter Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,010 kWh a month, a bill of about $153.
Is solar worth it with Sumter Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 8.7 kW system costing about $20,465 pays back in about 10.8 years, with $36,899 net over 25 years.
How many Sumter Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 6,842 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 2.9% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Sumter Electric Coop, Inc (EIA ID 18304). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.