Solar Guide for Kootenai Electric Cooperative Customers

If you're a Kootenai Electric Cooperative customer considering solar energy, you're making a smart financial decision. With residential electricity rates averaging 12.21 cents per kWh, solar panels can dramatically reduce or even eliminate your monthly electric bill. The typical Kootenai Electric Cooperative customer spends approximately $98 per month on electricity — money that could be working for you instead of going to the utility.

Idaho service area

Kootenai Electric Cooperative has a reduced rate net metering policy. While the buyback rate of 8.55¢/kWh is lower than the 12.21¢/kWh retail rate, solar remains highly economical. The key is to size your system to match your daytime consumption as closely as possible, maximizing direct savings at the retail rate. Any excess generation still earns you credits, just at the reduced buyback rate.

An 8kW solar system for a Kootenai Electric Cooperative customer costs approximately $22,000 before the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit. After the ITC, your net cost drops to about $15,400. This system produces enough clean energy to save you approximately $1,424 per year, resulting in a payback period of roughly 9.5 years.

After your system pays for itself, you'll enjoy 15+ years of dramatically reduced electricity costs. Over a 25-year period, total savings for Kootenai Electric Cooperative customers are estimated at $35,600 — and that's without accounting for the likely 2-3% annual increase in electricity rates that would make your savings even greater.