Plug-in solar savings on Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative
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The short answer: on Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative's Schedules 100/110/900 rate of 17.78¢/kWh,[source] the example kit (800 W, $1,000) saves about $141 a year and pays for itself in about 7.1 years, assuming typical placement and that you use most of its power at home.
What the example kit saves on Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative
| Where the panels go | Saves a year | Pays back in |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent: south-facing, tilted, no shade | $186 | 5.4 years |
| Typical: well-placed | $141 | 7.1 years |
| Shaded or vertical balcony | $102 | 9.8 years |
Power you send back to the grid is valued at $0, so a kit sized to what you use during the day saves the most. Run your own numbers, including how savings add up over the years.
Where this rate comes from
Plumas-Sierra's standard residential rate (Schedules 100, 110 and 900): $0.1778 for every kWh. The co-op publishes no effective date and has a member rate meeting on November 4, 2026. The 3.9% public benefits charge and the $49.99 monthly facility charge are excluded.[source]
Discounts
CARE and FERA are CPUC programs for investor-owned utilities, so they don't apply here. City, district and co-op utilities run their own discount programs, which we haven't verified.
SB 868 and Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative
SB 868 names investor-owned and local publicly owned utilities. Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative, which the law doesn't name, so check with Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative before you install a kit.[source] Read SB 868 explained and run through the checks before you buy.
Estimates only. Not electrical, legal or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
- How much could a plug-in solar kit save on Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative?
- About $141 a year for an example 800 W kit with typical placement, at Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative's Schedules 100/110/900 rate of 17.78¢/kWh, paying back in about 7.1 years. Your result depends on your usage and where the panels go.
- Does SB 868 apply to Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative customers?
- It isn't clear. The law names investor-owned and local publicly owned electric utilities; Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative, which it doesn't name. Check with Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative before you install a kit.