Ameren Illinois: how it credits the solar power you send to the grid
Supply-only credits for systems connected since January 1, 2025, roughly 8 to 12 cents per kWh by month, with a distributed generation rebate for new systems.
Checked November 12, 2026. Utilities change these rules; check the current tariff before you sign.
How it works
Exported power earns roughly 50% of the retail price on average.
Ameren Illinois serves central and southern Illinois under the same post-2025 rules as ComEd.
Delivery charges aren't offset by exported power, so using solar power at home is worth more than sending it out.
Systems connected before 2025 kept full retail credits; the change applies to new systems.
Its territory includes Peoria, Springfield, Champaign and the Metro East area near St. Louis.
What it means for a typical Illinois home
An average Illinois home uses about 8,592 kWh a year. A 6 kW system costs about $15,420 at the 2026 median price and makes about 7,848 kWh in its first year, of which we assume about 4,709 kWh goes out to the grid because no one is home to use it.
| First-year savings | Payback | 25-year savings, after the price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With Ameren Illinois's credit | $971 | 16 years | $12,999 |
| If every exported kWh earned the full price | $1,387 | 11 years | $26,303 |
The difference, about $13,304 over 25 years, is what Ameren Illinois's rules cost a typical system compared with full net metering. Using more of the power at home, while the sun is up, closes some of that gap. Uses Illinois's average electricity price; Ameren Illinois's own prices may be higher or lower. Paid in cash, no federal credit, prices rising 2.5% a year, one inverter replacement.
Also in Illinois: ComEd (about 50% of retail).
All 55 utilities · Solar in Illinois · Lease and PPA terms by company
Sources: Illinois Shines: changes to net metering; U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), final 2025 data: Annual State Historical Spreadsheets (Form EIA-861, released October 7, 2026) and Electric Power Annual (October 21, 2026); EnergySage: median quoted price, first half of 2026.