Yampa Valley Electric Association and solar
Yampa Valley Electric Association is an electric cooperative serving about 24,177 homes in Colorado, Wyoming. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 17.9¢8% above Colorado average
- Typical bill
- $154859 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 11 yrs6.5 kW, cash
Export rules for Yampa Valley Electric Association customers
Full retail net metering (Colorado rule).
Colorado requires investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy to credit solar exports at the full retail rate, with credits rolling over month to month indefinitely. Co-ops and large municipal utilities must also offer net metering, though their rules and size limits differ.
Solar for a typical Yampa Valley Electric Association home
| System | 6.5 kW (100% of 859 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $20,075 |
| First-year savings | $1,769 |
| Payback | 11.0 years |
| 25-year net | $33,717 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 339
- Share of customers
- 1.4%
- Residential solar capacity
- 3 MW
- Residential customers
- 24,177
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Yampa Valley Electric Association and solar
Does Yampa Valley Electric Association have net metering?
Yampa Valley Electric Association follows Colorado's rules: Colorado requires investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy to credit solar exports at the full retail rate, with credits rolling over month to month indefinitely. Co-ops and large municipal utilities must also offer net metering, though their rules and size limits differ.
How much does electricity cost with Yampa Valley Electric Association?
Residential customers paid an average of 17.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 17.9¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 859 kWh a month, a bill of about $154.
Is solar worth it with Yampa Valley Electric Association?
For a typical customer, solar is worth it: a 6.5 kW system costing about $20,075 pays back in about 11 years, with $33,717 net over 25 years.
How many Yampa Valley Electric Association customers have solar?
About 339 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.4% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Yampa Valley Electric Assn Inc (EIA ID 21081). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.