If Entergy Louisiana is your utility, solar still lowers your bill, but the export math changed. Since the state’s 2019 order, new systems pay full retail for grid power and are credited for exported power at avoided cost, about 2.6 cents per kWh, not the roughly 14.4 cent retail rate. So power you use at home is worth far more than power you send back. Size to your own use.
If Entergy Louisiana serves your home, this page explains how rooftop solar pays you back in 2026 and why the buy-back rate is the part that matters most. Louisiana used to offer full retail net metering, but a 2019 state rule changed that for new systems. Today Entergy credits the power you export at a low avoided-cost rate, so the smart play is to design a system around the power you actually use. Below we cover what Entergy pays, how to connect, how Louisiana’s rates compare, and what the federal tax-credit change means for you.
Entergy Louisiana solar at a glance
Entergy Louisiana is one of the state’s largest electric utilities, serving much of the state outside the New Orleans city limits. The rules below come from the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) and Entergy’s own Distributed Generation Rider.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Utility | Entergy Louisiana, distinct from Entergy operations in other states |
| Louisiana residential rate | About 14.4 cents per kWh, below the national average |
| Export compensation | Avoided cost for new systems, about 2.6 cents per kWh, not retail |
| Metering | A two-channel meter records imports and exports separately; they are not netted |
| Grandfathered systems | Systems completed by December 31, 2019 keep retail-rate credit for 15 years |
| Interconnection | Application at least 30 business days ahead; one-time charge about $100; UL 1741 inverter |
| Source | LPSC net metering; Entergy interconnection |
Here is the number MySolarFY computed. According to MySolarFY’s analysis (August 2026), an 8 kW rooftop system in the Baton Rouge area produces about 11,745 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts), and because Entergy credits exports at roughly 2.6 cents per kWh against Louisiana’s roughly 14.4 cent retail rate, a kWh you export is worth about 82% less than a kWh you use in your own home. That gap is the whole story for an Entergy Louisiana solar owner: self-use is valuable, exporting is not. Estimate your own roof’s output with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator.
How Entergy Louisiana pays you for solar: the avoided-cost buy-back
New Entergy Louisiana systems are not on one-for-one net metering; exports earn a low avoided-cost credit. Under the LPSC’s 2019 Distributed Generation general order, customers who interconnect after December 31, 2019 pay the full retail rate for every kWh they pull from the grid and receive an avoided-cost credit for every kWh they export (LPSC). Entergy runs this through its Distributed Generation Rider, which uses a two-channel meter: one channel counts the power you import, the other counts the power you export, and the two are not netted against each other. Your imports are billed at your normal residential rate, and your exports are credited at the avoided-cost rate posted in the rider, which Entergy updates each year (Entergy Distributed Generation Rider). That posted rate has recently been about 2.6 cents per kWh, so treat the current figure as a moving number and verify it before you size a system.
| What the power does | How it is valued |
|---|---|
| Solar you use in the home | Offsets power you would have bought at the full retail rate, about 14.4 cents per kWh |
| Solar you export to Entergy | Credited at avoided cost, recently about 2.6 cents per kWh, updated yearly |
| Systems completed by Dec 31, 2019 | Grandfathered at retail-rate credit for 15 years |
The practical takeaway is simple. Because the export credit is far below retail, oversizing a system to bank a big surplus does not pay off in Entergy Louisiana territory. Sizing your system close to your own daytime and annual use, and shifting big loads into daylight hours where you can, captures the most value. A battery can also raise self-use by storing midday solar for the evening. For the mechanics behind export credits, see how net metering credits your solar exports, and to see how the bill offset works, read how solar lowers your electricity bill.
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How to connect solar to Entergy Louisiana
Connecting a home system to Entergy follows a set order, and you cannot run the system on the grid until Entergy approves it. The general path is:
- Interconnection application. You or your installer submit Entergy’s interconnection application and standard interconnection agreement, with a one-line diagram of the system. Residential customers should file at least 30 business days before the planned connection date (Entergy interconnection).
- Fees and review. Entergy reviews the application. Plan for a one-time interconnection charge of about $100, plus any cost to upgrade Entergy’s equipment if your project requires it.
- Equipment standards. Your system must use a certified anti-islanding inverter (commonly UL 1741 listed) that stops exporting when the grid is down, so it does not backfeed a de-energized line.
- Permits and install. Pull the required local permits, install the system, and pass local electrical inspection.
- Meter and approval. Entergy sets the two-channel meter and gives written approval to operate. The system may not run on the grid before that approval.
A licensed installer normally manages this whole process for you. For the questions to ask before you sign, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
How Louisiana’s electricity rates change the math
Louisiana has relatively low power prices, which changes the payback picture. Residential customers in Louisiana pay about 14.4 cents per kWh, below the national average (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A). A lower rate means each kWh of solar you use at home saves a bit less than it would in a high-rate state, so payback here leans on strong Gulf Coast sun and on maximizing self-use rather than on a generous buy-back. The good news is that Louisiana gets plenty of sun, so a well-sized system that covers your own daytime use can still cut your bill meaningfully. Louisiana has no statewide residential solar income-tax credit today, and its older state solar credit was fully phased out years ago, so do not budget around a state credit. To weigh the full payback, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it and compare ways to pay for solar. For Louisiana pricing and payback ranges, see our Louisiana solar panel cost and payback guide.
What changed federally, and what it means in Louisiana
The federal homeowner credit is gone, so plan without it. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS; SEIA). For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
One federal credit remains, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner. On a lease or PPA in Louisiana, the company that owns the panels claims that credit, not you, and in exchange you typically get a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost. If you want to own the value of your system outright, buying with cash or a loan is the path, even though the 25D homeowner credit that once helped fund that purchase ended after December 31, 2025.
How to choose a solar installer in Entergy Louisiana territory
Rather than chasing a “best” list, screen any installer against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for solar installers.
- Proper Louisiana licensing and any required local electrical and building permits.
- Real experience with Entergy Louisiana interconnection, so the application and approval go smoothly.
- A written production estimate and a quote that is honest about the low avoided-cost export credit and sizes the system to your own use, not to a big export surplus.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
MySolarFY is not an installer. We are a free service that matches you with licensed installers who serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation. Start with a free eligibility check, or browse solar guidance for other states on our solar by state hub. For the statewide Louisiana rules, incentives, and utility breakdown, see our Louisiana solar guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Entergy Louisiana still offer net metering?
Not the old one-for-one kind for new systems. Under the Louisiana Public Service Commission’s 2019 order, customers who interconnect after December 31, 2019 pay the full retail rate for the power they import and receive an avoided-cost credit for the power they export, rather than a retail-rate credit (LPSC). Systems completed by December 31, 2019 were grandfathered at the retail rate for 15 years. So new Entergy Louisiana solar still lowers your bill, mostly through the power you use on-site, but exporting to the grid earns much less than it used to.
How much does Entergy Louisiana pay for exported solar?
Entergy credits exported power at the avoided-cost rate posted in its Distributed Generation Rider, which it updates each year (Entergy Distributed Generation Rider). That posted rate has recently been about 2.6 cents per kWh, well below the roughly 14.4 cent retail rate. Because the figure changes annually, check the current rider before you size a system. The key point is that a kWh you use at home is worth far more than a kWh you export, so design your system around your own use.
What happened to the federal solar tax credit?
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Louisiana homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it. A separate commercial credit (Section 48E) can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the business that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner.
How do I connect solar to Entergy Louisiana?
You or your installer submit Entergy’s interconnection application and agreement with a one-line diagram, ideally at least 30 business days before your planned connection date, and pay a one-time charge of about $100 plus any required upgrade costs (Entergy interconnection). Your system must use a certified anti-islanding inverter. After you install, pass local inspection, and Entergy sets the meter, Entergy gives written approval to operate. You cannot run the system on the grid before that approval.
Is solar worth it on an Entergy Louisiana account?
It can be, but the value comes from the power you use rather than the power you sell. Louisiana rates are below the national average, and Entergy’s export credit is low, so the strongest case is a system sized to your own use in a sunny state. Get a written production estimate and an honest quote, and compare offers before you commit.
