Net Metering by State

What your electric utility actually pays for exported solar power.

Washington solar export compensation

What Washington pays for exported rooftop solar power, with the source and the date each figure was checked.

Record verified 2026-09-16 · 17 of 17 fields sourced

What does your utility pay?

No single rate — formula based

Retail-rate kWh net-metering credit under Schedule 150; no separate statewide export price.

Puget Sound Energy · Washington

Effective Schedule 150 tariff effective February 29, 2024.

Ordinary net-metering systems are no more than 100 kW AC; PSE uses an electronic application process for qualifying UL-listed inverter systems.

Source: pse.com · utc.wa.gov

Full Puget Sound Energy detail →

Washington's investor-owned utilities provide net metering as monthly net-kWh billing: exports first offset imports, then become kWh credits carried into later billing periods. State law limits ordinary net-metering systems to 100 kW and uses an April 30 annual balance date; Avista, Pacific Power, and Puget Sound Energy publish utility tariffs, while Seattle City Light operates a municipal program with retail-rate credits for systems up to 100 kW AC.

Program details

Compensation mechanismMonthly net-energy billing: exported excess is credited in kWh against later electricity use, rather than paid as a separate cash export rate.
utc.wa.gov · myavista.com
Export rateApplicable retail energy rate / kWh credit under the customer's utility rate schedule; no single statewide cents-per-kWh export rate.
myavista.com · seattle.gov
Rate effectiveEffective export compensation is the applicable utility retail rate for ordinary net metering; Seattle City Light states its up-to-100-kW credits are valued at the customer's retail electricity rate.
seattle.gov · myavista.com
Credit rolloverExcess kWh credits appear on bills for following billing periods and reduce the following period's bill; credits are not a separate cash payment.
myavista.com · apiproxy.utc.wa.gov
Credit expirationRemaining annual kWh credits are cleared at the annual balance date; Washington's statutory balance date is April 30.
utc.wa.gov · seattle.gov
Annual true-upApril 30 each year.
utc.wa.gov
Residential system cap100 kW AC maximum for an ordinary net-metering system.
utc.wa.gov · myavista.com
Commercial system cap100 kW AC maximum for an ordinary net-metering system; Seattle City Light identifies limited qualifying building exceptions up to 250-500 kW.
utc.wa.gov · seattle.gov
Aggregate program capFor the three UTC-regulated investor-owned utilities, availability ends at the earlier of June 30, 2029 or four percent of the utility's 1996 peak demand; at least half of the 1996 peak-demand capacity must be reserved for renewable-energy systems. Seattle City Light has a separate municipal program.
myavista.com · apiproxy.utc.wa.gov
Program statusAvista and Pacific Power tariffs state the four-percent / June 30, 2029 availability limit; the UTC overview identifies Avista, Pacific Power, and Puget Sound Energy as Washington investor-owned net-metering utilities.
myavista.com · utc.wa.gov
RegulatorWashington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) regulates the investor-owned electric utilities' tariffs; Seattle City Light is a municipal utility with its own published program.
utc.wa.gov · seattle.gov
DocketPuget Sound Energy's current Schedule 150 tariff filing is Docket UE-231031; no single statewide net-metering docket governs Seattle City Light's municipal program.
utc.wa.gov · pse.com
Governing ruleRCW 80.60 (Net Metering of Electricity), implemented for interconnection through WAC 480-108.
app.leg.wa.gov · app.leg.wa.gov
GrandfatheringNo single statewide grandfathering rule is stated in the UTC overview; transition terms are utility-specific. Pacific Power expressly preserves aggregation arrangements entered before July 1, 2019 under the existing arrangement.
utc.wa.gov · apiproxy.utc.wa.gov
Interconnection applicationSubmit a complete interconnection application and fee; Tier 1 standard practice uses a single application for interconnection, net metering, and production metering. PSE uses an online portal for qualifying UL-listed inverter systems and issues Approval to Construct, then Approval to Energize after installation/testing.
app.leg.wa.gov · pse.com
Interconnection timelineWAC Tier 1: receipt notice within 5 business days, completeness notice within 10 business days after receipt, and approval/conditional approval/denial within 20 business days after the complete-application notice; operation is required within 1 year after approval unless extended.
app.leg.wa.gov
Pending changeSeattle City Light says it has begun planning the next phase of its net-metering program and will provide at least six months' advance notice before proposed changes take effect; PSE's Schedule 150 proceeding is closed with conditions shown in UE-231031.
seattle.gov · utc.wa.gov

Rates by utility

State rules set the framework. Individual utilities often pay something different, and where they do the utility tariff governs.

Puget Sound EnergyRetail-rate kWh net-metering credit under Schedule 150; no separate statewide export price.
Schedule 150 tariff effective February 29, 2024.
Ordinary net-metering systems are no more than 100 kW AC; PSE uses an electronic application process for qualifying UL-listed inverter systems.
pse.com · utc.wa.gov
Seattle City LightRetail electricity rate for net-metering credits on systems up to 100 kW AC; larger systems use a separate Large Renewables program.
Current program page checked September 16, 2026.
Municipal utility; limited qualifying building programs can receive net metering above 100 kW, while systems over 100 kW and up to 5 MW use monthly-varying Large Renewables export rates.
seattle.gov · seattle.gov
Avista UtilitiesCustomer's standard schedule retail rate; excess kWh becomes a bill credit for following billing periods.
Schedule 63 effective May 17, 2024.
Schedule 63 is available first-come, first-served until June 30, 2029 or the four-percent 1996-peak-demand cap, whichever comes first; annual unused credits are granted to Avista without compensation on March 31.
myavista.com
Pacific PowerApplicable standard-service tariff energy charge; excess net energy becomes a kWh credit for the following billing period.
Schedule 135 effective January 1, 2021 (filed tariff copy checked September 16, 2026).
Schedule 135 covers Washington territory, first-come first-served, for systems no more than 100 kW; unused credits through the March billing period are granted to the company without compensation.
pacificpower.net · apiproxy.utc.wa.gov

Sources read for this record

Keep reading