Sunprint
Check these in order
- 1Is the system actually on?
In the Oncor area, after permission to operate, reprogramming the meter generally takes about three weeks, and readings need one full billing cycle, 30 to 60 days, to reach your provider. A provider like TXU says the first read may take up to three billing cycles. Your first one or two bills after installation may not show solar at all.
- 2Is it producing what it should?
Check your inverter or monitoring app for the kWh made last month, then compare it with the checker below.
- 3What does your plan or utility pay for power you send out?
In much of Texas, exported power earns far less than the power you buy. If your system sends a lot out during the day and you buy power at night, the bill stays high.
- 4Did your use go up?
Texas bills peak in summer. In federal EIA data, the average Texas bill peaked in August in both 2024 and 2025, so compare with the same month last year, not with spring.
- 5Is part of the bill out of solar's reach?
Fixed charges and, in retail areas, delivery charges on the power you still take from the grid stay on the bill however much your panels make.
Is your system producing enough?
Your inverter or monitoring app shows how many kWh the panels made. Enter last month's figure and we'll compare it with what an ideal south-facing roof of the same size would make in your city that month, in NREL's PVWatts model:
0 kWh
what an ideal south-facing roof would make that month
Enter what your system made to compare.
NREL PVWatts v8: south-facing panels on a 6/12 roof with standard losses, in a typical weather year. Real months vary with the weather, and roofs facing east or west make less. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Your smart meter tells a different story from your app: Smart Meter Texas shows the power you took from the grid and the surplus you sent back in 15-minute intervals, but not the solar your home used as it was made. If the app shows zero after a power outage, remember that grid-tied solar without a battery shuts off when the grid goes down; if it doesn't come back once power returns, call your installer.
What your extra power earns
The state utility commission says buyback rates are usually lower than the retail price you pay. That's why a Texas system can make plenty of power and still leave a sizable bill: the power you send out at midday earns less than the power you buy back in the evening. How much less depends on who you buy from:
| Where you live | What happens to power you send out |
|---|---|
| Retail plan (Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP areas) | Your plan decides, and some pay little or nothing. A buyback plan like TXU's can offset your energy charges but not the base charge or delivery charges. |
| Xcel Energy (Panhandle) | On the standard meter, exported power isn't bought at all. |
| SWEPCO and Entergy Texas | Exports are credited at the utility's avoided cost, a wholesale-level price of about 3 to 4 cents. |
| Magic Valley | Netted monthly at the full rate, but a month's surplus beyond your use goes unpaid. |
| El Paso Electric | Solar homes pay a monthly demand charge based on their highest one-hour use. |
| CoServ | Solar members pay a $10 monthly charge on top of the base charge. |
Two fixes help in every case: use more power while the sun is up (laundry, dishwasher, pool pump, pre-cooling the house), and in a retail-choice area, compare buyback plans at renewal; our buyback guide shows how.
Charges solar can't erase
Some of the bill doesn't depend on how much power you buy. Most Texas utilities bill a fixed monthly charge. In retail-choice areas the wires company's delivery charge also applies to each kWh you still take from the grid: in the Oncor area that was 6.03 cents a kWh in October 2026, on top of your plan's energy charge. Solar lowers the kWh you buy, so it lowers that charge too, but it can't remove it for the hours when your panels aren't making power. Our guide to high Texas bills breaks a bill down line by line.
What to do next
- Check the dates. If the system went live in the last two months, the meter or your provider may not be counting it yet. Ask your installer whether you have permission to operate and when the meter was reprogrammed.
- Check production. Use the checker above with a month's figure from your app.
- Read your plan. Find the buyback rate on your Electricity Facts Label or the utility's solar tariff.
- Compare with last year. Same month, same weather season.
- If something's wrong with the system or the sale, start with the installer in writing. If that goes nowhere, our guide to what to do when a solar company misled you lists the Texas complaint routes.
Your estimate in three steps
- Enter your billYour ZIP code, your utility and last month's bill.
- See your estimateA yearly savings range based on your utility's rates and the sun where you live.
- Choose what's nextAsk for a quote call if you want real pricing, or just keep the number.
See what solar could save you
It takes about a minute. You don't need a site visit, a commitment or a sales call to see your number.
Common questions
Why is my electric bill still high after solar in Texas?
Usually one of five reasons: the system isn't being counted yet (meter reprogramming and the first billing cycle can take weeks), it's producing less than it should, your plan or utility pays little for power you send out, your use went up, or fixed and delivery charges that solar can't remove.
How long after solar is installed does my bill go down?
In the Oncor area, after permission to operate, meter reprogramming generally takes about three weeks, and readings need one full billing cycle, 30 to 60 days, to reach your provider. TXU says the first read may take up to three billing cycles.
How do I know if my solar panels are producing enough?
Compare the kWh in your monitoring app with NREL's model for your city. An ideal south-facing roof makes about 1,523 kWh a year per kW in Dallas and 1,430 in Houston. Real roofs facing other ways or with shade make less.
Will solar eliminate my electric bill in Texas?
Rarely. Fixed monthly charges stay, and the state utility commission says buyback rates for power you send out are usually lower than the retail price you pay, so evening power you buy costs more than midday power you sell.
Why did my solar panels stop working after a power outage?
Grid-tied solar without a battery shuts off when the grid goes down. If it doesn't restart once power returns, check your monitoring app and call your installer.
Related guides
- Texas solar buyback plans
- Why is my electric bill so high in Texas?
- Solar batteries and Texas power outages
- Misled or overcharged by a solar company?
- Best direction and angle for solar panels in Texas
- Solar panels and hail in Texas
The checker compares your figure with a model of an ideal roof in a typical year; it can't see your system. Your installer can run a proper check. Sources: Oncor: renewables and solar FAQ · TXU Energy: solar buyback · PUCT: thinking about solar panels for your home? · PUCT: Oncor monthly rate report · U.S. EIA: monthly sales and revenue data · U.S. Department of Energy: the road to resilience with rooftop solar · NREL PVWatts v8. Reviewed October 2026.
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