Valley Electric Association and solar
Valley Electric Association is an electric cooperative serving about 22,740 homes in Nevada, California. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.4¢16% above Nevada average
- Typical bill
- $1751,130 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~56%Reduced export credit
- Typical payback
- 13.6 yrs4.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Valley Electric Association customers
Reduced export credit (Nevada rule).
NV Energy credits exported solar at 75% of the retail energy rate (Tier 4, locked for 20 years). In September 2025 regulators approved 15-minute netting for new Northern Nevada (Sierra Pacific) customers from Oct 1, 2025, which sharply reduces how much usage solar can offset at full price; Southern Nevada (Nevada Power) gets a new demand charge from April 2026.
Solar for a typical Valley Electric Association home
| System | 4.9 kW (65% of 1,130 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $14,280 |
| First-year savings | $1,134 |
| Payback | 13.6 years |
| 25-year net | $12,833 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 2,276
- Share of customers
- 10.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 23 MW
- Residential customers
- 22,740
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Valley Electric Association and solar
Does Valley Electric Association have net metering?
Valley Electric Association follows Nevada's rules: NV Energy credits exported solar at 75% of the retail energy rate (Tier 4, locked for 20 years). In September 2025 regulators approved 15-minute netting for new Northern Nevada (Sierra Pacific) customers from Oct 1, 2025, which sharply reduces how much usage solar can offset at full price; Southern Nevada (Nevada Power) gets a new demand charge from April 2026.
How much does electricity cost with Valley Electric Association?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,130 kWh a month, a bill of about $175.
Is solar worth it with Valley Electric Association?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 4.9 kW system costing about $14,280 pays back in about 13.6 years, with $12,833 net over 25 years.
How many Valley Electric Association customers have solar?
About 2,276 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 10.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Valley Electric Assn, Inc (EIA ID 19840). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.