Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL) and solar
Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL) is an electric cooperative serving about 16,203 homes in Illinois. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 17.2¢8% below Illinois average
- Typical bill
- $2141,241 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~52%Reduced export credit
- Typical payback
- 13.4 yrs8.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL) customers
Reduced export credit (Illinois rule).
For ComEd and Ameren customers who connected on or after Jan 1, 2025, solar exports only offset the energy supply part of the bill (about 8-12 cents/kWh), not delivery charges. To compensate, the state pays an upfront $300 per kW rebate for solar with a smart inverter, and Illinois Shines pays for solar renewable energy credits.
Solar for a typical Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL) home
| System | 8.9 kW (80% of 1,241 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $29,310 |
| First-year savings | $2,012 |
| Payback | 13.4 years |
| 25-year net | $37,002 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 95
- Share of customers
- 0.6%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 16,203
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL) and solar
Does Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL) have net metering?
Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL) follows Illinois's rules: For ComEd and Ameren customers who connected on or after Jan 1, 2025, solar exports only offset the energy supply part of the bill (about 8-12 cents/kWh), not delivery charges. To compensate, the state pays an upfront $300 per kW rebate for solar with a smart inverter, and Illinois Shines pays for solar renewable energy credits.
How much does electricity cost with Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL)?
Residential customers paid an average of 16.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 17.2¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,241 kWh a month, a bill of about $214.
Is solar worth it with Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL)?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 8.9 kW system costing about $29,310 pays back in about 13.4 years, with $37,002 net over 25 years.
How many Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc (IL) customers have solar?
About 95 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.6% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (IL) (EIA ID 18955). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.