Wake Electric Membership and solar
Wake Electric Membership is an electric cooperative serving about 56,069 homes in North Carolina. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.1¢2% above North Carolina average
- Typical bill
- $1691,122 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~23%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- 13.8 yrs8.6 kW, cash
Export rules for Wake Electric Membership customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (North Carolina rule).
Duke Energy's new solar customers choose between the 'Bridge Rate' (retail-style net metering, open until Jan 1, 2027 or caps fill) and Residential Solar Choice, which requires a time-of-use rate and credits monthly net exports at avoided cost (~3.4-4 cents). Both include a minimum bill.
Solar for a typical Wake Electric Membership home
| System | 8.6 kW (90% of 1,122 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $23,710 |
| First-year savings | $1,765 |
| Payback | 13.8 years |
| 25-year net | $23,673 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 792
- Share of customers
- 1.4%
- Residential solar capacity
- 6 MW
- Residential customers
- 56,069
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Wake Electric Membership and solar
Does Wake Electric Membership have net metering?
Wake Electric Membership follows North Carolina's rules: Duke Energy's new solar customers choose between the 'Bridge Rate' (retail-style net metering, open until Jan 1, 2027 or caps fill) and Residential Solar Choice, which requires a time-of-use rate and credits monthly net exports at avoided cost (~3.4-4 cents). Both include a minimum bill.
How much does electricity cost with Wake Electric Membership?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.1¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,122 kWh a month, a bill of about $169.
Is solar worth it with Wake Electric Membership?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 8.6 kW system costing about $23,710 pays back in about 13.8 years, with $23,673 net over 25 years.
How many Wake Electric Membership customers have solar?
About 792 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.4% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Wake Electric Membership Corp (EIA ID 19981). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.