Utilities · Solar in North Carolina
Duke Energy (North Carolina): how it credits the solar power you send to the grid
Retail-rate netting within each month and time-of-use period; leftover power earns about 3.4 to 4.5 cents. Minimum monthly bill of $22 (Carolinas) or $28 (Progress).
Checked November 12, 2026. Utilities change these rules; check the current tariff before you sign.
How it works
Exported power earns roughly 80% of the retail price on average.
Both of Duke's North Carolina companies, Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress, put new solar customers on time-of-use rates and net within each pricing period.
Credit left over each month is valued at a low avoided-cost rate, and the minimum bill applies however much the panels make.
What it means for a typical North Carolina home
An average North Carolina home uses about 12,528 kWh a year. An 8 kW system costs about $20,560 at the 2026 median price and makes about 11,328 kWh in its first year, of which we assume about 6,797 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 Duke Energy (North Carolina)'s credit | $1,396 | 15 years | $21,446 |
| If every exported kWh earned the full price | $1,586 | 13 years | $27,532 |
The difference, about $6,086 over 25 years, is what Duke Energy (North Carolina)'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 North Carolina's average electricity price; Duke Energy (North Carolina)'s own prices may be higher or lower. Paid in cash, no federal credit, prices rising 2.5% a year, one inverter replacement.
Utilities in neighboring states
| Utility | State | Exported power | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy (North Carolina) | North Carolina | Monthly netting | About 80% of retail |
| Georgia Power | Georgia | Reduced credit (net billing) | 7.22¢ |
| Duke Energy (South Carolina) | South Carolina | Monthly netting | About 85% of retail |
| Dominion Energy Virginia | Virginia | Full credit (net metering) | Full retail |
| Appalachian Power (Virginia) | Virginia | Full credit (net metering) | Full retail |
All 55 utilities · Solar in North Carolina · Lease and PPA terms by company
Sources: NC Public Staff: 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.