Written by Dean Mahmoud, CEO, and checked by Trevor Guilday, founder.Prices from the September 2026 Cost Index and 2026 utility tariffs. Updated October 14, 2026.
A typical North Dakota system is 7.59 kW and costs about $25,730 cash at $3.39 per watt. In our two Xcel Energy cases it pays back in 24.7 to 45.9 years. Power that offsets your use within the month saves the full price; a month’s leftover sells for 3.646¢ and never carries into winter.
Free for you. Solar providers pay us when you ask for quotes. How we make money
Xcel Energy and Montana-Dakota Utilities count your solar output against your use once per billing month. Every kWh your panels make ends up in one of two places, and they are worth very different amounts.
| How much output offsets your use | Year-one savings | After upkeep | Simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90% within the month, 10% sold at 3.646¢ | $1,269 | $1,041 | 24.7 years |
| 40% used as it is made, 60% sold at 3.646¢ | $788 | $561 | 45.9 years |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
The 45.9-year case is the slow end: it sells everything not used the moment it is made. Because Xcel nets by the month, a home that uses most of its output within each month lands nearer 24.7 years.
A Public Service Commission rule gives systems of 100 kW or less net energy billing at North Dakota’s three investor-owned utilities. The name at the top of your bill decides the price.
Rate Code D50, from March 1, 2026 (was 3.270¢). $3.25 a month metering charge. For homes on a rate that is not time-of-day.
Next: ask for a month-by-month table priced at 3.646¢ for surplus.
Rate 95 with the net billing option, from January 1, 2026 (was 2.760¢). $0.06 a day metering charge.
Next: ask which months the quote expects to sell surplus.
Flat price for bills from June 1, 2026, or 3.703¢ to 5.681¢ by season and time of day. $1.33 a month metering charge.
Next: ask which of the two riders the quote assumes.
| Utility | Price for extra power | Charge on a solar account | Size limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xcel Energy | 3.646¢ | $3.25 a month | 100 kW |
| Montana-Dakota Utilities | 3.416¢ | $0.06 a day | 100 kW |
| Otter Tail Power | 4.571¢ | $1.33 a month | 100 kW |
| Verendrye Electric | 4¢ | $12 a month | Under 50 kW |
| Mountrail-Williams Electric | 5.67¢ | $10 a month | 50 kW |
| Cass County Electric | Not published | You pay for a special meter | Under 40 kW AC |
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Otter Tail’s riders also list a solar renewable energy credit of 0.3¢ per kWh. A renewable energy credit, or REC, is the proof that power came from the sun. If you take the payment, Otter Tail owns the RECs for the power it buys from you. If you turn it down, you keep them.
Metering charges are for single-phase service, the normal home connection. Prices are reviewed every year, so ask your utility for its current rate sheet before you sign.
The state netting rule does not cover electric co-ops or city utilities. Each sets its own price, and some add a monthly charge that eats into a small system’s surplus earnings.
$12 a month grid access charge. At 4¢ a kWh, it takes 3,600 kWh of surplus just to cover it.
$10 a month on every distributed generation account. At 5.67¢, that takes about 2,116 kWh.
A surplus credit carries to later bills. Any credit left is paid to the member once a year, in May.
It publishes no payment rate and says it does not rebate solar. Ask for its terms in writing.
Cass County Electric members can instead reserve panels in the co-op’s Prairie Sun array in Fargo. The co-op estimates about $35 a year in bill credits per panel. The 20-year project was completed in 2016, so credits run only for the years left, and the co-op does not publish the upfront price. McKenzie Electric buys extra power at its supplier’s rate, which it does not publish.
The September 2026 benchmark is $0.50 above the US average, 50th lowest of 51. These are modeled cash prices, not quotes we collected.
| Size (kW DC) | Cash price | Power made a year |
|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | $20,340 | 8,760 kWh |
| 7.59 kW (typical) | $25,730 | 11,081 kWh |
| 10 kW | $33,900 | 14,600 kWh |
| 12 kW | $40,680 | 17,520 kWh |
The state’s only incentive is in N.D.C.C. 57-02-08(27). It does not lower the installer’s price; it keeps the panels from raising your property tax.
Solar equipment, including storage that is part of the system, is left out of local property tax.
After that, the assessor can count the system. The law has no end date for new systems.
With your local assessor, not the state. The form shows no due date, so ask the assessor when.
Taxable value kept off your bill: $10,000 × 50% assessed × 9% for homes. Your local tax rate applies to it.
Way to pay | Who owns the panels | North Dakota point to check |
|---|---|---|
Cash | You | No rebate or tax credit lowers the price; the 5% sales tax applies |
Loan | You | All three installers below mention loans; compare the financed total with cash |
Lease or PPA | The company | We could not confirm one sold to North Dakota homes; ask who gets the surplus payments |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
North Dakota incentives guideWhat a zero-down offer means in North Dakota
Three companies that list North Dakota service, A to Z, not ranked. Facts from their own sites and North Dakota registries, read October 13 to 14, 2026.
None of these three companies buys homeowner leads from EcoGen America, and the order is alphabetical. How we make money.
Ask each installer for a month-by-month table and the surplus price behind its savings estimate.
See if solar fits your North Dakota billsEcoGen America does not sell or install solar. When you request quotes, we pass your request to solar providers serving your area, and they pay us for the introduction. Providers can include installers, solar marketplaces and lead exchanges, and more than one may contact you. You never pay us. Privacy policy
CEO of EcoGen America. Since 2021 he has connected homeowners with residential solar installers in all 50 states.
About Dean
Founder of EcoGen America. He has worked in residential solar since 2016 and maintains the EcoGen Solar Cost Index.
About TrevorEditorial standardsCost Index methodologyVerified Installer methodology