Xcel Energy (Colorado): how it credits the solar power you send to the grid
1:1 retail net metering for home systems; excess credit rolls forward or is paid out once a year at a lower rate, your choice.
Checked November 12, 2026. Utilities change these rules; check the current tariff before you sign.
How it works
Exported power earns the full retail price, kWh for kWh.
Xcel serves Denver, Boulder and most of Colorado's Front Range.
Ask the installer which option they assumed; payouts are well below retail.
Choosing continuous rollover keeps every excess kWh at full value for later months.
What it means for a typical Colorado home
With full credit, a typical 4.5 kW system in Colorado (about $11,565 at the 2026 median price) pays for itself in about 10 years and saves about $21,824 over 25 years after its price, paid in cash with no federal credit. It doesn't matter much whether you use the power as it's made or send it out, so a battery adds backup, not savings. Payback by system size in Colorado.
Utilities in neighboring states
| Utility | State | Exported power | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xcel Energy (Colorado) | Colorado | Full credit (net metering) | Full retail |
| Evergy (Kansas and Missouri) | Kansas | Monthly netting | About 85% of retail |
| Rocky Mountain Power (Utah) | Utah | Reduced credit (net billing) | 4.3¢ (est.) |
| OG&E | Oklahoma | Monthly netting | About 85% of retail |
All 55 utilities · Solar in Colorado · Lease and PPA terms by company
Sources: Palmetto: Colorado utility guide; Solar Energy Nerds: net metering by state, 2026; 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.