Wharton County Electric Cooperative and solar
Wharton County Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 5,583 homes in Texas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.7¢8% below Texas average
- Typical bill
- $1691,153 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~41%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 14.9 yrs4.5 kW, cash
Export rules for Wharton County Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Texas rule).
Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
Solar for a typical Wharton County Electric Cooperative home
| System | 4.5 kW (49% of 1,153 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $12,950 |
| First-year savings | $856 |
| Payback | 14.9 years |
| 25-year net | $11,690 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 5,583
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Wharton County Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Wharton County Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Wharton County Electric Cooperative follows Texas's rules: Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
How much does electricity cost with Wharton County Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.7¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,153 kWh a month, a bill of about $169.
Is solar worth it with Wharton County Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 4.5 kW system costing about $12,950 pays back in about 14.9 years, with $11,690 net over 25 years.
How many Wharton County Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Wharton County Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Wharton County Elec Coop, Inc (EIA ID 20472). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.