Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and solar
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 22,857 homes in Alabama. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 16.3¢1% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $1981,215 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~18%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 18.7 yrs5.2 kW, cash
Export rules for Wiregrass Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Alabama rule).
Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
Solar for a typical Wiregrass Electric Cooperative home
| System | 5.2 kW (50% of 1,215 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $19,620 |
| First-year savings | $939 |
| Payback | 18.7 years |
| 25-year net | $9,281 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 22,857
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Wiregrass Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative follows Alabama's rules: Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
How much does electricity cost with Wiregrass Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 16.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 16.3¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,215 kWh a month, a bill of about $198.
Is solar worth it with Wiregrass Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.2 kW system costing about $19,620 pays back in about 18.7 years, with $9,281 net over 25 years.
How many Wiregrass Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Wiregrass Electric Coop, Inc (EIA ID 20841). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.