Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI) and solar
Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI) is an electric cooperative serving about 23,136 homes in Michigan. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 19.3¢9% below Michigan average
- Typical bill
- $160830 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~47%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- 16.2 yrs3.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI) customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (Michigan rule).
Michigan's IOUs use a 'distributed generation' inflow/outflow tariff: you save the full retail rate on solar you use directly, but power sent to the grid is credited only at roughly the power-supply portion of the rate (about 8-15 cents depending on rate/time).
Solar for a typical Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI) home
| System | 3.9 kW (51% of 830 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $14,420 |
| First-year savings | $826 |
| Payback | 16.2 years |
| 25-year net | $10,982 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 194
- Share of customers
- 0.8%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 23,136
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI) and solar
Does Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI) have net metering?
Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI) follows Michigan's rules: Michigan's IOUs use a 'distributed generation' inflow/outflow tariff: you save the full retail rate on solar you use directly, but power sent to the grid is credited only at roughly the power-supply portion of the rate (about 8-15 cents depending on rate/time).
How much does electricity cost with Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI)?
Residential customers paid an average of 18.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 19.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 830 kWh a month, a bill of about $160.
Is solar worth it with Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI)?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 3.9 kW system costing about $14,420 pays back in about 16.2 years, with $10,982 net over 25 years.
How many Tri-County Electric Cooperative (MI) customers have solar?
About 194 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.8% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Tri-County Electric Coop (MI) (EIA ID 19396). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.