Plug-in solar savings on Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District
Last updated
The short answer: on Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District's Electric usage rate rate of 21¢/kWh,[source] the example kit (800 W, $1,000) saves about $166 a year and pays for itself in about 6.0 years, assuming typical placement and that you use most of its power at home.
What the example kit saves on Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District
| Where the panels go | Saves a year | Pays back in |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent: south-facing, tilted, no shade | $219 | 4.6 years |
| Typical: well-placed | $166 | 6.0 years |
| Shaded or vertical balcony | $121 | 8.3 years |
Power you send back to the grid is valued at $0, so a kit sized to what you use during the day saves the most. Run your own numbers, including how savings add up over the years.
Where this rate comes from
Kirkwood Meadows PUD charges a flat $0.21 per kWh as of July 2026, which already includes its public purpose cost. Most of a Kirkwood bill is fixed ($147.50 a month per home plus a $4.30 meter charge), and a kit can't reduce that.[source]
Discounts
CARE and FERA are CPUC programs for investor-owned utilities, so they don't apply here. City, district and co-op utilities run their own discount programs, which we haven't verified.
SB 868 and Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District
SB 868 covers local publicly owned utilities such as Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District, as well as investor-owned utilities. Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District may ask you to register a qualifying kit through a simple online form, but can't charge fees related to it.[source] Read SB 868 explained and run through the checks before you buy.
Estimates only. Not electrical, legal or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
- How much could a plug-in solar kit save on Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District?
- About $166 a year for an example 800 W kit with typical placement, at Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District's Electric usage rate rate of 21¢/kWh, paying back in about 6.0 years. Your result depends on your usage and where the panels go.
- Does SB 868 apply to Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District customers?
- Yes. The law covers both investor-owned and local publicly owned electric utilities. Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District may ask you to register a qualifying kit online, but can't charge fees related to it.