Written by Dean Mahmoud, CEO, and checked by Trevor Guilday, founder.Prices from the September 2026 Cost Index. Schedule 137 reread October 14, 2026. Updated October 14, 2026.
A typical Utah home system is 7.89 kW and costs about $23,749 in cash at $3.01 per watt. The sun is strong, but power is cheap: 13.32¢ on average, and Rocky Mountain Power credits the power you send out at 4.033¢ to 4.855¢. In our two worked cases that means 25.5 to 33.2 years to pay back.
Free for you. Solar providers pay us when you ask for quotes. How we make money
Utah panels make about 1,524 kWh per kW a year. Each of those kWh is worth one of two prices, and the share your home uses as it is made decides the payback more than anything else.
| Share used at home as it is made | Year-one savings | After upkeep | Simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40%, our planning default | $951 | $715 | 33.2 years |
| 60%, someone home during the day | $1,168 | $931 | 25.5 years |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Neither case pays back within 25 years. Using more of your solar at home shortens it, and so does a lower quote. Exporting more does not.
New Rocky Mountain Power solar homes go on Schedule 137, which the utility calls net billing. You pay the normal price for power you take from the grid, and earn a separate, lower credit for power you send to it.
Per kWh sent out, as a credit on your bill.
Eight billing months a year, including the bills from October.
Unused credits carry from bill to bill, then expire at your March meter reading. Nothing is paid out.
The largest home system the schedule takes. The basic interconnection review costs $60.
These rates took effect March 1, 2026 (Utah Public Service Commission Docket 26-035-T03), and the Commission can reset them. Credits pay the power and energy charges on your bill. You still pay the minimum monthly bill. Under Utah law, the value of expired credits goes to low-income bill help or another use the Commission sets.
Older systems can be on better terms, so ask the seller which schedule the home is on. Schedule 135 is the old net metering, where each extra kWh cancels a kWh you use later at the full price. It closed to new applications on November 15, 2017 and ends on December 31, 2035. Schedule 136 pays 9.2¢ for exports. It closed on October 31, 2020 and ends on December 31, 2032. Neither is open to a new system.
The name at the top of your electric bill decides the rule. Rocky Mountain Power serves about 3 in 4 Utah homes. City utilities and co-ops write their own terms.
Schedule 137, by season. Credits expire at the March meter reading. $60 for the basic interconnection review.
Next: ask for savings priced at both seasonal credits, not your full rate.
From the September 1, 2026 billing period. Credit left after the billing cycle that includes February 28 is given up, and credits cannot pay the $18 monthly customer charge.
Next: get a net metering license from Provo Power before you install.
St. George banks extra kWh but charges 2.67¢ on every kWh your panels make. Moon Lake Electric credits 2.4¢ and charges solar accounts $45 a month.
Next: get the credit, any solar charge and the fees in writing.
Utility | What extra power earns | Extra cost for solar homes | When leftover credit ends |
|---|---|---|---|
Rocky Mountain Power | 4.855¢ June to September, 4.033¢ October to May | $60 review | March meter reading |
Provo Power | 6.742¢ | Credits cannot pay the $18 monthly charge | Billing cycle that includes February 28 |
St. George Energy Services | kWh banked; a December balance can be sold back at 3.622¢ | 2.67¢ on every kWh made; $245 review; $424 meter | December; 5,000 kWh or more is bought back automatically |
Moon Lake Electric | 2.4¢ for extra power each month | $45 a month service charge | Ask Moon Lake |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Murray City Power runs a net metering pilot and says it is revising it; we could not confirm its current terms. Dixie Power posts no export credit, and its solar questions page says it does not pay for power you do not use. St. George does not allow net metering on rental property. For any city utility or co-op, ask for the solar rate in writing before you sign.
The September 2026 benchmark, $0.12 above the $2.89 US average and tied 35th lowest of 51. These are modeled cash prices, not quotes we collected.
| System size | Cash price | Made each year |
|---|---|---|
| 4 kW | $12,040 | 6,096 kWh |
| 6 kW | $18,060 | 9,144 kWh |
| 7.89 kW (typical) | $23,749 | 12,024 kWh |
| 10 kW | $30,100 | 15,240 kWh |
The Utah and federal tax credits are gone for new home systems. Rocky Mountain Power’s battery program is the only payment, for customers who own their home and have solar, and it comes with conditions.
One-time payment per household when you enroll a new battery.
A Tesla Powerwall 3 is listed at 11.5 kW. At exactly 10 kW, ask which applies.
From the second year, up to $100 a year. After the commitment, $50 per kW up to $250.
The utility can use the battery for up to two full cycles a day. Leave early and you repay part.
Example: a 5 kW battery earns $1,000 plus $75 in each of the next three years, $1,225 in all. A Powerwall 3 earns $2,300, because its yearly credit stops at $100. The one-time payment can also be capped at 70% of the battery’s equipment cost. Quotes written before June 15, 2026 may still show the old $400 per kW payment, which no longer applies.
| Way to pay | Who owns the panels | What to check in Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | You | No Utah or federal credit comes off the price |
| Loan | You | Financed total next to the cash price; any dealer fee |
| Lease or lease to own | The company, until any transfer | When ownership moves to you, and who receives the Wattsmart payment |
| PPA | The company | Price per kWh against your own rate; transfer or buyout if you sell |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
A to Z, not ranked. Facts from their own sites, read October 13 and 14, 2026. Neither publishes a Utah license number, so ask each one for it before you sign.
Neither company buys homeowner leads from EcoGen America. How we make money.
Ask each installer to price your exports at Schedule 137’s two credits and to write down the home-use share behind its savings.
See what solar saves your Utah homeEcoGen 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