EWEB's solar rates, also known as the Renewable Power Purchase Rate, is part of our Electric Service Charges and Rate Schedule found within our Customer Service Policy. Solar rates are subject to annual review and may be adjusted or amended at the discretion of the EWEB Board.
Explore this page to learn about:
2026 solar rates
The following net metered and direct generation rates are effective February 2026.
For net metering, excess energy generated by solar customers that exceeds their own consumption over a monthly billing cycle (calculation takes place per monthly billing cycle) will be credited to their bill at the 2026 Annual Renewable Net-Metered Rate of 3.99 cents per kWh for that billing cycle.
For direct generation, energy generated and sold directly to EWEB will be purchased at the 2026 Annual Renewable Generation Purchase Rate (Purchased Power and RECs) of 6.34 cents per kWh.
Beginning in 2026, EWEB transitioned to a new method of calculating solar rates based on avoided cost, ensuring that solar compensation reflects the financial benefits of local renewable energy to the utility and its customers.
How net metering works
If you have solar panels, your electric meter tracks both:
- The electricity you use from EWEB, and
- The extra electricity your solar system sends back to the grid
At the end of each month's billing cycle, we compare how much electricity you used with how much your system generated.
If you generate more electricity than you use in a month:
- The extra electricity is converted into a bill credit at EWEB's renewable net metered rate.
- That credit is first applied to your usage portion of your bill (the Energy and Delivery Charge).
- If any credit remains, it is then applied to the fixed cost portion of your bill (the Basic Charge).
- Any remaining credit carries forward to your next month's bill.
Example
Month 1: At the end of your monthly billing cycle, EWEB compares how much electricity you used with how much your solar system generated. If you system produced more electricity than you used, a credit is added to your bill.
Month 2: If any credit remains after your Month 1 charges are covered, it carries forward and appears on your Month 2 bill.
How rates are calculated
Starting in 2026, EWEB transitioned to an avoided cost methodology to determine solar compensation rates. This approach measures the actual cost savings EWEB achieves by purchasing customer-generated solar energy and ensures solar customers receive rates that reflect the actual value of energy sold to the utility.
Prior to 2026, solar net metering and direct generation rates were based on forward market prices, which are projections of future energy costs. These prices fluctuated based on factors like supply and demand, trading risks, and market expectations.
Why the change?
Under the avoided cost methodology solar rates are tied to the costs EWEB avoids by using customer-generated solar instead of procuring energy from other resources. Because these inputs reflect actual market conditions, utility needs, and EWEB’s specific energy contracts, solar customers can expect more predictable rates.
Avoided cost inputs include factors such as EWEB's supply contracts with Bonneville Power Administration and others, market prices for energy and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), savings on capacity and transmission, and the cost of new generation resources. Because these inputs evolve over time—though not as frequently or unpredictably as forward market prices—EWEB will likely review and adjust the avoided cost annually or biennially to ensure the Renewable Net-Metered Rate and Renewable Generation Purchase Rate remain aligned with market and utility conditions.
How solar rates differ from retail rates
Solar rates and retail rates are different because they are based on different factors:
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Retail Rates: This is what EWEB charges customers for electricity. These rates are based on the actual cost of providing power, including buying electricity, maintaining infrastructure, and operating the utility. Retail rates reflect real expenses like equipment, labor, and large projects needed to keep the system running reliably.
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Solar Rates: This is what EWEB pays customers who generate solar power and send it to the grid. Unlike retail rates, which are tied to the utility’s actual cost of generating electricity, solar rates reflect what buyers and sellers in the market are willing to pay, which is influenced by factors like trading risk and uncertainty.
Since market prices change over time, the amount EWEB pays to customers for solar power can go up or down, even if retail rates are increasing. This is why customers may see a difference between what they pay for power and what they get credited for their solar energy.
EWEB's current approach to local solar
Some EWEB customers are interested in rooftop solar as an option to advance clean, local energy and provide resiliency during emergencies or outages. At the same time, customers with distributed solar resources are still connected to EWEB’s grid. These customers rely on EWEB for energy at night and during the winter when their panels aren’t producing. They also rely on EWEB’s distribution and transmission lines when they sell surplus energy back to EWEB.
As a matter of principle, EWEB believes that costs should be equitably shared among all customers. EWEB incurs significant costs to maintain a robust distribution system and procure energy for all customers, even those with distributed generation technologies. Because EWEB currently collects revenues for transmission and distribution (delivery charges) based on usage, net-metering policy design can result in under-collection of funds from customers with distributed generation. For this reason, EWEB will continue to evaluate and update its rate designs and distributed generation policies to ensure that these align with EWEB’s values and principles.
Learn more about EWEB's principles for customer-owned generation, such as rooftop solar.
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