Washington-St Tammany E C and solar
Washington-St Tammany E C is an electric cooperative serving about 51,187 homes in Louisiana. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 11.5¢12% below Louisiana average
- Typical bill
- $1511,323 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~34%Avoided-cost export credit
- Typical payback
- 19.7 yrs5.4 kW, cash
Export rules for Washington-St Tammany E C customers
Avoided-cost export credit (Louisiana rule).
Outside New Orleans, new solar customers since 2020 are credited for exported power at the utility's avoided cost, about 3.6-4 cents/kWh, versus retail rates of ~11-13 cents. Customers who interconnected before 2020 were grandfathered at retail for 15 years. New Orleans (City Council-regulated) still offers retail net metering.
Solar for a typical Washington-St Tammany E C home
| System | 5.4 kW (50% of 1,323 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $15,110 |
| First-year savings | $749 |
| Payback | 19.7 years |
| 25-year net | $5,495 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 658
- Share of customers
- 1.3%
- Residential solar capacity
- 4 MW
- Residential customers
- 51,187
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Washington-St Tammany E C and solar
Does Washington-St Tammany E C have net metering?
Washington-St Tammany E C follows Louisiana's rules: Outside New Orleans, new solar customers since 2020 are credited for exported power at the utility's avoided cost, about 3.6-4 cents/kWh, versus retail rates of ~11-13 cents. Customers who interconnected before 2020 were grandfathered at retail for 15 years. New Orleans (City Council-regulated) still offers retail net metering.
How much does electricity cost with Washington-St Tammany E C?
Residential customers paid an average of 11.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 11.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,323 kWh a month, a bill of about $151.
Is solar worth it with Washington-St Tammany E C?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.4 kW system costing about $15,110 pays back in about 19.7 years, with $5,495 net over 25 years.
How many Washington-St Tammany E C customers have solar?
About 658 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.3% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Washington-St Tammany E C, Inc (EIA ID 21567). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.