If Rocky Mountain Power is your Utah utility, new rooftop solar earns an export credit, not full net metering. Under Schedule 137 net billing, exported power is credited near 4.0 to 4.9 cents per kWh, well below Utah’s roughly 13.3 cent retail rate. Rates reset every March 1, so verify the current figure before you sign.
A 6 kW system in Salt Lake City produces about 8,901 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts). At Utah’s residential rate of 13.29 cents per kWh (EIA, April 2026), that output is worth roughly $1,180 a year when it offsets power you would otherwise buy.
But a kWh you export instead earns Rocky Mountain Power’s Schedule 137 credit of about 4.0 to 4.9 cents, so exported power is worth only roughly a third of what self-used power is worth. That gap is the whole Utah solar story: use your own power, do not bank on the buy-back.
If Rocky Mountain Power sends your electric bill, this page explains how rooftop solar actually pays you back in Utah in 2026, and why the number that matters most is the export credit, not a net-metering myth. Rocky Mountain Power, the Utah utility of PacifiCorp, closed full retail net metering to new customers years ago. Today a new solar home is credited for exported power at a set cents-per-kWh rate that sits well below the retail price you pay. This page covers that export credit, how it compares to Utah’s retail rate, the interconnection steps, and how to tell if your roof is a good fit. For statewide Utah costs and incentives beyond your utility, see our Utah solar guide and what solar costs in Utah.
Rocky Mountain Power solar at a glance
Rocky Mountain Power runs the interconnection process and sets the export credit that decides what your extra solar is worth in Utah.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Utility | Rocky Mountain Power, the Utah division of PacifiCorp, the state’s largest electric utility |
| Current program (new solar) | Schedule 137 Net Billing, for customers who apply to interconnect after October 30, 2020 |
| Export credit (verify current) | About 4.9 cents per kWh in summer (June to September) and about 4.0 cents in winter (October to May), recalculated every March 1 |
| Utah retail rate | About 13.29 cents per kWh (EIA, April 2026), so the export credit is well under a third of retail |
| Older solar customers | Those on the earlier Transition Program (Schedule 136) get a flat 9.2 cents per kWh export credit |
| Before you switch on | Rocky Mountain Power must approve interconnection and set a bidirectional meter |
| Source | Rocky Mountain Power customer generation |
Why the export credit matters more than the panels. In Utah, sunshine is not the constraint, the buy-back rate is. Because Rocky Mountain Power pays only about 4.0 to 4.9 cents for a kWh you send to the grid but charges about 13.3 cents for a kWh you pull back, the money is in using your own solar as you make it, not in exporting it. Estimate your roof’s likely output with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator, then size the system to your daytime usage rather than oversizing it to chase export credits.
How Rocky Mountain Power pays you for solar: the export credit explained
New Utah solar is on net billing, so every exported kWh earns a set credit, not retail. When your panels make more than the home is using, that surplus flows to the grid and Rocky Mountain Power credits it on your bill at the Schedule 137 export credit rate. That rate is time-of-year based: higher in the June to September summer window and lower from October to May. As of mid-2026 the summer credit runs near 4.9 cents per kWh and the winter credit near 4.0 cents, and Rocky Mountain Power recalculates it each March 1, so treat any figure as a snapshot and confirm the current rate before you commit. For how export crediting works in plain terms, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
The contrast with the retail rate is the point. You buy power at about 13.29 cents per kWh (EIA, April 2026) but you are credited only about 4.0 to 4.9 cents for what you export, so a kWh consumed at home is worth roughly three times a kWh sold back. That is why a battery or simply shifting big loads into daylight hours changes the math in Utah more than it does in a full net-metering state. To see how the bill offset drives savings, read how solar lowers your electricity bill, and to weigh payback, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
| Program | Who is on it | How exports are valued |
|---|---|---|
| Net Metering (Schedule 135) | Legacy customers only, closed to new solar | Full retail credit |
| Transition Program (Schedule 136) | Interconnected late 2017 to late 2020 | Flat 9.2 cents per kWh (residential) |
| Net Billing (Schedule 137) | New solar today, applied after October 30, 2020 | About 4.9 cents summer, 4.0 cents winter, reset March 1 |
Figures for Schedule 136 and 137 come from Rocky Mountain Power’s Utah tariff filings with the Utah Public Service Commission 2026 export-credit filing and the Schedule 136 tariff. Because the Net Billing credit is set annually, always verify the current summer and winter rates before signing a contract.
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How to connect solar to Rocky Mountain Power in Utah
Connecting a home system follows a set order, and the key rule is that you cannot turn the system on until Rocky Mountain Power grants permission. The filing date of your interconnection application also decides which program you land on, so this step is not just paperwork. The general path is:
- Interconnection application. You or your installer file an application with Rocky Mountain Power. The date it is filed determines your export credit program (Schedule 137 for new applicants).
- Review and agreement. Rocky Mountain Power reviews the application and, once approved, sends an interconnection agreement to sign and return.
- Install and inspect. The system is installed and passes your city or county electrical inspection.
- Meter set. Rocky Mountain Power installs or reconfigures a bidirectional meter that measures both the power you draw and the power you export.
- Permission to operate. Rocky Mountain Power gives the go-ahead. The system may not run on the grid before this.
A licensed installer normally manages this whole process for you. Confirm the current interconnection requirements and the equipment rules with Rocky Mountain Power directly, since utility processes change. For the questions to ask before you hire anyone, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
What changed federally, and what it means for Utah customers
The federal homeowner credit is gone, so it should not be in any 2026 quote. 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 Rocky Mountain Power customer who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS). If an installer’s estimate still shows a 30% federal credit for a 2026 purchase, that is a red flag. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
One federal exception exists, 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, and it runs for projects placed in service through 2027, with a begin-construction safe harbor by July 4, 2026 (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit). For a leased system on a Rocky Mountain Power account you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
How to choose a solar installer in Rocky Mountain Power territory
Utah is a competitive solar market, so you have many licensed installers to compare. Rather than chasing a “best” list, screen any installer against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- Proper Utah licensing and any required local electrical and building permits.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with Rocky Mountain Power interconnection, so the paperwork and permission to operate go smoothly.
- A written production estimate and a quote that is honest about the low export credit and does not lean on the federal tax credit that ended after December 31, 2025. For a checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer. For a plain-English primer, start with solar basics.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What does Rocky Mountain Power pay for solar exports in Utah?
New solar customers are on Schedule 137 Net Billing, which credits exported power at a set cents-per-kWh rate rather than the full retail price. As of mid-2026 that credit runs near 4.9 cents per kWh in the summer months (June to September) and near 4.0 cents from October to May, and Rocky Mountain Power recalculates it every March 1. Because Utah’s retail rate is about 13.29 cents per kWh, a kWh you export is worth only about a third of a kWh you use at home, so confirm the current rate before you buy.
Is net metering still available from Rocky Mountain Power?
Not for new customers. Full retail net metering (Schedule 135) closed to new solar years ago. Customers who interconnected between late 2017 and late 2020 are on the Transition Program (Schedule 136) with a flat 9.2 cents per kWh export credit, and anyone applying now is placed on Schedule 137 Net Billing with the lower, seasonally adjusted export credit. So the honest expectation for a 2026 installation is a net-billing export credit, not one-for-one net metering.
How does the export credit compare to what I pay for power?
It is much lower. Utah residential customers pay about 13.29 cents per kWh (EIA, April 2026), while Rocky Mountain Power credits exported solar at roughly 4.0 to 4.9 cents per kWh under Schedule 137. That means the power you use in your home as you generate it is worth about three times the power you send back to the grid. In practice, sizing the system to your daytime use, and considering a battery, captures more value than exporting a big surplus.
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. A Rocky Mountain Power customer 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. Rocky Mountain Power’s net-billing export credit was not affected by that federal change.
How do I connect solar to Rocky Mountain Power?
You or your installer file an interconnection application with Rocky Mountain Power, the utility reviews and approves it, you sign an interconnection agreement, the system is installed and passes a local inspection, Rocky Mountain Power sets a bidirectional meter, and then it grants permission to operate. You cannot turn the system on until you have that permission. The date you file the application also fixes which export credit program you are on, and a licensed installer usually handles the paperwork for you.
Do I still benefit from solar if I lease or sign a PPA?
Net-billing credits normally follow the Rocky Mountain Power account, but on a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels often keeps the export credits, depending on the contract, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years and may include an annual price escalator. If you want the export credit and any incentives in your own name, owning the system through cash or a loan is the path that captures them.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Rocky Mountain Power, Utah Public Service Commission, EIA, NREL PVWatts, and IRS sources as of August 2026. The Schedule 137 export credit is recalculated every March 1, and rates and rules change over time, so confirm the current terms with Rocky Mountain Power and the Utah PSC before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY editorial team and how we source and compute our data.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the export credits often go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.