Solar savings at your utility's rates
How much would solar panels cut your electric bill? This calculator takes the solar output of your city from PVWatts and runs your bill, month by month, on your utility's own rate plan with and without the solar kWh. On the standard plans of the 74 utilities on this site, a 6 kW system on a home that uses 1,000 kWh a month saves $571.34 to $4,880.44 a year on the bill.
- 74 utilities
- Solar output from PVWatts
- Official rate plans
Select your state and utility, and type your kWh. The solar savings show here for each rate plan.
Solar savings at each utility
The yearly bill savings of a 6 kW system on a home that uses 1,000 kWh a month, on the standard plan of each utility, with the PVWatts solar output of a large city in the utility's area. The highest savings are first.
| Utility | Solar output for | Solar kWh a year | Savings a year | Share of the bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDG&ESchedule TOU-DR1 | San Diego, CA | 10,295 | $4,880.44 | 83% |
| PG&ESchedule E-1 | San Jose, CA | 9,745 | $3,730.21 | 76% |
| Southern California EdisonSchedule TOU-D-4-9PM | Oxnard, CA | 9,705 | $3,448.33 | 78% |
| LADWPSchedule R-1A | Los Angeles, CA | 10,075 | $3,033.66 | 85% |
| National Grid (Massachusetts)Schedule R-1 | Boston, MA | 7,648 | $2,980.36 | 62% |
| Eversource (Massachusetts)Schedule R-1 | Boston, MA | 7,648 | $2,675.33 | 62% |
| Atlantic City ElectricSchedule RS | Atlantic City, NJ | 8,447 | $2,438.49 | 69% |
| Versant PowerSchedule A | Bangor, ME | 7,443 | $2,259.39 | 60% |
| PSE&GSchedule RS | Newark, NJ | 7,833 | $2,108.81 | 65% |
| Central Maine PowerSchedule A | Portland, ME | 7,872 | $1,942.91 | 60% |
| Green Mountain PowerSchedule 1 | Burlington, VT | 7,329 | $1,864.49 | 56% |
| APS (Arizona Public Service)Schedule TOU-E | Phoenix, AZ | 10,529 | $1,852.80 | 81% |
| Eversource (Connecticut)Rate 1 | Hartford, CT | 7,515 | $1,815.67 | 60% |
| Duquesne LightSchedule RS | Pittsburgh, PA | 7,144 | $1,749.24 | 56% |
| DTE EnergySchedule D1.11 | Detroit, MI | 7,771 | $1,726.11 | 62% |
| JCP&LSchedule RS | Newark, NJ | 7,833 | $1,709.02 | 65% |
| Consumers EnergySchedule RSP | Battle Creek, MI | 7,715 | $1,678.14 | 62% |
| PenelecSchedule RS | Pittsburgh, PA | 7,144 | $1,617.00 | 57% |
| SMUDSchedule R-TOD | Sacramento, CA | 9,681 | $1,612.76 | 70% |
| Xcel Energy (Colorado)Schedule RE-TOU | Denver, CO | 9,612 | $1,577.15 | 77% |
| AES OhioSchedule RS | Dayton, OH | 8,014 | $1,576.59 | 63% |
| We EnergiesSchedule Rg 1 | Milwaukee, WI | 8,027 | $1,572.83 | 62% |
| The Illuminating Company (Cleveland Electric)Schedule RS | Cleveland, OH | 7,529 | $1,523.16 | 61% |
| Met-EdSchedule RS | Pittsburgh, PA | 7,144 | $1,519.78 | 56% |
| AEP Ohio (Ohio Power)Schedule RS | Columbus, OH | 7,777 | $1,514.99 | 60% |
| Penn PowerSchedule RS | Pittsburgh, PA | 7,144 | $1,476.53 | 56% |
| PPL Electric UtilitiesSchedule RS | Allentown, PA | 7,658 | $1,474.67 | 59% |
| Toledo EdisonSchedule RS | Toledo, OH | 7,838 | $1,466.27 | 63% |
| Madison Gas and ElectricSchedule Rg-1 | Madison, WI | 7,884 | $1,434.74 | 61% |
| Black Hills Energy (Cheyenne Light)Schedule R | Cheyenne, WY | 9,324 | $1,409.74 | 70% |
| Dominion Energy South CarolinaSchedule 8 | Charleston, SC | 8,728 | $1,392.67 | 68% |
| Xcel Energy (Texas)Residential | Lubbock, TX | 10,329 | $1,388.09 | 78% |
| Duke Energy ProgressSchedule RES | Wilmington, NC | 8,701 | $1,387.25 | 66% |
| Dominion Energy VirginiaSchedule 1 | Richmond, VA | 8,065 | $1,386.44 | 64% |
| Ohio EdisonSchedule RS | Youngstown, OH | 7,014 | $1,382.05 | 56% |
| Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power and Light)Schedule Rg-1 | Madison, WI | 7,884 | $1,337.12 | 60% |
| Portland General ElectricSchedule 7 | Portland, OR | 6,724 | $1,315.65 | 52% |
| Xcel Energy (Minnesota)Schedule A01 | Minneapolis, MN | 7,998 | $1,312.25 | 64% |
| West Penn PowerSchedule RS | Pittsburgh, PA | 7,144 | $1,308.71 | 57% |
| Tampa ElectricSchedule RS | Tampa, FL | 9,410 | $1,308.19 | 71% |
| Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC)Schedule A-1 | Virginia Beach, VA | 8,607 | $1,305.51 | 64% |
| Duke Energy FloridaSchedule RS-1 | Tampa, FL | 9,410 | $1,301.60 | 71% |
| Alabama PowerSchedule FD | Birmingham, AL | 8,111 | $1,286.29 | 61% |
| Puget Sound EnergySchedule 7 | Bellingham, WA | 6,305 | $1,271.52 | 52% |
| Appalachian Power (Virginia)Schedule R.S. | Blacksburg, VA | 7,808 | $1,263.90 | 62% |
| Georgia PowerSchedule R-31 | Atlanta, GA | 8,494 | $1,250.71 | 65% |
| Xcel Energy (Wisconsin)Schedule Rg-1 | Eau Claire, WI | 7,989 | $1,247.39 | 61% |
| NorthWestern EnergySchedule REDS-1 | Butte, MT | 7,829 | $1,239.24 | 64% |
| SRP (Salt River Project)Schedule E-23 | Phoenix, AZ | 10,529 | $1,216.43 | 69% |
| Duke Energy CarolinasSchedule RS | Charlotte, NC | 8,348 | $1,187.79 | 63% |
| NV Energy (Nevada Power)Schedule RS | Las Vegas, NV | 10,526 | $1,184.02 | 75% |
| Duke Energy IndianaSchedule RS | Indianapolis, IN | 7,989 | $1,175.23 | 57% |
| Colorado Springs UtilitiesSchedule ETR | Colorado Springs, CO | 9,776 | $1,167.38 | 70% |
| Wisconsin Public ServiceSchedule Rg-1 | Green Bay, WI | 7,758 | $1,156.65 | 58% |
| Rocky Mountain PowerSchedule 1 | Salt Lake City, UT | 8,912 | $1,114.09 | 70% |
| Austin EnergyResidential Service | Austin, TX | 8,899 | $1,111.04 | 66% |
| NV Energy (Sierra Pacific Power)Schedule D-1 | Reno, NV | 10,000 | $1,107.91 | 70% |
| Florida Power & LightSchedule RS-1 | Miami, FL | 9,350 | $1,103.30 | 69% |
| Entergy LouisianaSchedule RS | Kenner, LA | 9,092 | $1,072.45 | 61% |
| Ameren MissouriSchedule 1(M) EMS | St. Louis, MO | 8,327 | $1,065.35 | 65% |
| Rocky Mountain PowerSchedule 2 | Casper, WY | 9,100 | $1,044.83 | 62% |
| Idaho PowerSchedule 1 | Boise, ID | 8,810 | $1,042.71 | 66% |
| NOVEC (Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative)Schedule R-1 | Leesburg, VA | 8,227 | $1,020.03 | 59% |
| Avista UtilitiesSchedule 1 | Spokane, WA | 7,539 | $996.62 | 59% |
| Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC)Schedule 500.2.1 | San Antonio, TX | 9,021 | $984.55 | 58% |
| Mon Power and Potomac Edison (West Virginia)Schedule A | Morgantown, WV | 7,180 | $973.01 | 57% |
| Pacific Power (Oregon)Schedule 4 | Portland, OR | 6,724 | $953.86 | 50% |
| OPPDSchedule 110 | Omaha, NE | 8,587 | $944.89 | 57% |
| MidAmerican EnergySchedule RS | Des Moines, IA | 8,201 | $889.56 | 64% |
| Seattle City LightSchedule RSC | Seattle, WA | 6,527 | $873.35 | 50% |
| Snohomish County PUDSchedule 7 | Everett, WA | 6,048 | $639.90 | 41% |
| Tacoma PowerSchedule A-1 | Tacoma, WA | 6,514 | $597.05 | 40% |
| Clark Public UtilitiesResidential | Vancouver, WA | 6,715 | $590.24 | 46% |
| LESSchedule RS (01, 03) | Lincoln, NE | 8,825 | $571.34 | 41% |
Delivery-only utilities (where you choose a retail plan) are not in the table. The savings use the rates at our last check.
How we calculate the savings
- Solar output. PVWatts version 8 (National Laboratory of the Rockies, formerly NREL) for each city: a south-facing roof system with a 20 degree tilt, standard panels and 14% losses, with typical-year weather. Your roof, shade and direction change the output.
- Two bills each month. The bill at your kWh, and the bill at your kWh minus the solar kWh of that month, from the official tariff of your plan. The savings are the difference, so they include the riders and the tier prices.
- Net metering. The result assumes that each solar kWh replaces a kWh that you buy at the full price, within the month (monthly net metering). Solar kWh beyond your use in a month are not counted. Many utilities now credit the power that you send to the grid at a lower price, or add a solar fee: then the savings are less. Ask your utility for its net metering or distributed generation rate. See net metering by utility for the rules of FPL, Duke Energy Florida, PG&E.
- Not included. Sales tax, solar fees, batteries, incentives, panel aging and the cost of the system.
How much does a home solar system save?
On the standard plans of the 74 utilities on this site, a 6 kW system on a home that uses 1,000 kWh a month saves $571.34 to $4,880.44 a year on the bill, if each solar kWh replaces a kWh bought at the full price (monthly net metering). With a lower credit for the solar power sent to the grid, or a solar fee, the savings are less.
How many kWh does a solar panel system make?
PVWatts, the solar model of the National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL), gives 675 kWh a year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof in Juneau (AK) and 1,883 kWh in Horizon City (TX), the lowest and highest of the 1,621 cities on this site; the middle city gets 1,417 kWh. This calculator uses the PVWatts value for your city.
Solar output: PVWatts version 8, National Laboratory of the Rockies; city locations from the Census Bureau Gazetteer. Bills: the official tariffs on this site.