Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative and solar
Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 16,919 homes in Tennessee. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.4¢1% below Tennessee average
- Typical bill
- $1491,114 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~20%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 24.6 yrs4.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Tennessee rule).
Tennessee has no net metering law; almost all homes are served by TVA-supplied local power companies. Solar offsets your own usage, but exported power is typically bought at TVA's low wholesale avoided-cost rate (about 2.7 c/kWh in late 2026) or a local utility's own rate.
Solar for a typical Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative home
| System | 4.9 kW (50% of 1,114 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $18,690 |
| First-year savings | $713 |
| Payback | 24.6 years |
| 25-year net | $385 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 16,919
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative follows Tennessee's rules: Tennessee has no net metering law; almost all homes are served by TVA-supplied local power companies. Solar offsets your own usage, but exported power is typically bought at TVA's low wholesale avoided-cost rate (about 2.7 c/kWh in late 2026) or a local utility's own rate.
How much does electricity cost with Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,114 kWh a month, a bill of about $149.
Is solar worth it with Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.9 kW system costing about $18,690 pays back in about 24.6 years, with $385 net over 25 years.
How many Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Tennessee Valley Electric Coop (EIA ID 18643). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.