Watertown Municipal Utilities and solar
Watertown Municipal Utilities is a municipal utility serving about 11,775 homes in South Dakota. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 9.9¢30% below South Dakota average
- Typical bill
- $88886 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~30%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- Never3.7 kW, cash
Export rules for Watertown Municipal Utilities customers
No statewide net metering (South Dakota rule).
South Dakota has no net metering law. Utilities generally let you use your own solar and buy the excess at their avoided cost (a few cents per kWh).
Solar for a typical Watertown Municipal Utilities home
| System | 3.7 kW (49% of 886 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $12,750 |
| First-year savings | $426 |
| Payback | never within 25 years |
| 25-year net | −$3,212 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 11,775
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Watertown Municipal Utilities and solar
Does Watertown Municipal Utilities have net metering?
Watertown Municipal Utilities follows South Dakota's rules: South Dakota has no net metering law. Utilities generally let you use your own solar and buy the excess at their avoided cost (a few cents per kWh).
How much does electricity cost with Watertown Municipal Utilities?
Residential customers paid an average of 9.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 9.9¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 886 kWh a month, a bill of about $88.
Is solar worth it with Watertown Municipal Utilities?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 3.7 kW system costing about $12,750 does not pay back within 25 years, with −$3,212 net over 25 years.
How many Watertown Municipal Utilities customers have solar?
Watertown Municipal Utilities did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Watertown Municipal Utilities (EIA ID 20187). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.