Sunprint
The short answer
Most homes in Dallas-Fort Worth get their power over Oncor's wires and buy it from a retail electricity plan, so the plan you pick decides what solar power you send back is worth. North and west of the cities, CoServ and Tri-County Electric members get a set buyback rate instead. For an average $150 bill, our calculator puts payback at 16 to 21 years across these utilities. The bigger local question is hail: Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties had more hail reports than any other Texas counties from 2016 to 2025.
Who buys your solar power in DFW
Federal EIA records show Oncor's wires in all 11 counties we count as Dallas-Fort Worth. Here's what each utility with confirmed solar terms does with power your panels send to the grid, and what a system covering 85% of a home with a $150 average bill would save:
| Utility | What it does with solar power you send out | Yearly savings, $150 bill | Payback | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor area | Your retail plan sets the buyback: from nothing up to about its energy charge | $740 to $1,314 | 16 to 18 years | Estimate → |
| CoServ | Buys every exported kWh at its avoided cost: 8.53¢ in October 2026, reset monthly | $939 to $1,190 | 19 to 21 years | Estimate → |
| Tri-County Electric | Credits exports at its avoided cost: 10.5¢ for October to December 2026 | $846 to $1,069 | 16 to 18 years | Estimate → |
| TNMP area | Your retail plan sets the buyback; TNMP's delivery charge is the highest of the Texas wires companies | $722 to $1,185 | 17 to 19 years | Estimate → |
Oncor and TNMP use Dallas-area sun; CoServ and Tri-County use the sun from their own guides. In the Oncor and TNMP areas the savings range runs from a plan that pays wholesale prices to one that credits close to its energy charge.
Parts of the region are served by utilities whose solar terms we couldn't confirm from their own documents: Denton Municipal Electric, Garland Power & Light, Farmers Electric, United Cooperative Services, Grayson-Collin Electric, Wise Electric, Weatherford's city utility, Greenville Electric (GEUS), HILCO and Trinity Valley Electric. If yours is one of them, the estimate shows a range, and it's worth asking the utility for its written terms. Our buyback plans guide explains how to compare retail plans in the Oncor area.
Hail: the DFW question
NOAA's storm database lists 2,020 hail reports in our 11 DFW counties from 2016 to 2025, 513 of them for stones 1.75 inches or bigger (golf ball size). Tarrant, Denton and Collin lead the list:
A report is one sighting at one place and time, not one storm, so busy areas log more. Still, the pattern is clear enough to plan for: ask any installer which hail rating the panels carry and how your homeowners policy treats them. Our hail guide covers panel test ratings, insurance and deductibles.
How often the power goes out
| Utility | Hours without power a year, 2020 to 2024 average | Leaving out major storms | Worst year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor area | 7.1 h | 1.7 h | 9.3 h in 2021 |
| CoServ | 4.0 h | 0.6 h | 17.2 h in 2021 |
| Tri-County Electric | 8.9 h | 3.0 h | 31.8 h in 2021 |
| TNMP area | 8.3 h | 1.7 h | 32.4 h in 2024 |
Average hours without power per customer, from each utility's reports to the federal EIA. "Leaving out major storms" drops the major event days utilities are allowed to exclude.
Outages here are mostly short. Oncor's customers averaged 1.7 hours a year without power outside major storms, and 7.1 hours with them. Grid-tied solar alone doesn't keep the lights on during an outage; that takes a battery set up for backup. Our battery guide covers what that costs.
Permits and programs
Dallas permits. Two 2025 state laws, SB 1202 and SB 1252, changed how Texas cities handle home solar and batteries. The City of Dallas applied them in its Service First Bulletin #204: no electrical review for a solar permit, but zoning, building code and fire review still apply. Its fees are a $15 technology fee, $577 plan review and $125 building inspection, $717 before any electrical work; a separate electrical permit ($196) is needed if the job changes your home's wiring. Our permits guide covers the laws and Dallas, Houston and Austin in detail.
Utility programs. Oncor's 2026 solar program budgets $1,774,000 for homes, first come, first served, for systems up to 20 kW, paid to the installer rather than to you. TNMP's 2026 Solar+ program sets aside $100,000, also paid to installers, and ends November 30, 2026. Our incentives guide lists every Texas program we found.
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
Is solar worth it in Dallas-Fort Worth?
It depends on your utility. For an average $150 bill and a system covering 85% of use, our calculator puts payback at 16 to 21 years across Oncor-area retail plans, CoServ, Tri-County Electric and TNMP, at $3.00 to $3.50 a watt with no incentives.
Who buys solar power in Dallas and Fort Worth?
In most of the area your retail electricity plan does, since Oncor only delivers the power; plans range from no buyback to about their energy charge. CoServ members get its avoided cost (8.53 cents in October 2026) and Tri-County members 10.5 cents for October to December 2026.
How much hail does Dallas-Fort Worth get?
NOAA lists 2,020 hail reports in our 11 DFW counties from 2016 to 2025, 513 of them 1.75 inches or larger. Tarrant County had 465, the most of any Texas county.
Do I need a permit for solar panels in Dallas?
Yes. Under Dallas's Service First Bulletin #204, solar permits need zoning, building code and fire review but no electrical review, with fees of $717 before any electrical permit. A separate $196 electrical permit applies if the job changes your home's wiring.
Does Oncor pay for solar panels?
Oncor's 2026 solar program pays incentives to installers for home systems up to 20 kW, from a $1,774,000 residential budget on a first come, first served basis. Oncor doesn't buy your solar power; your retail plan does.
Related guides
- Solar for Oncor customers
- Solar for CoServ members
- Solar panels and hail in Texas
- Solar panel permits in Texas
- Texas solar buyback plans
- Is solar worth it in Texas?
Savings and payback are our calculator's estimates, not a utility's or an installer's. Rates and buyback terms change; check your utility's current terms before you sign. Sources: U.S. Department of Energy: the road to resilience with rooftop solar · City of Dallas: Service First Bulletin #204 (PDF) · Texas Legislature: SB 1202, enrolled (2025) · Texas Legislature: SB 1252, enrolled (2025) · Oncor 2026 Solar PV program manual (PDF) · TNMP 2026 residential program manual (PDF) · U.S. EIA Form 861: service territories, reliability and sales data, 2020 to 2024 · NOAA NCEI Storm Events database, 2016 to 2025 · NREL PVWatts v8. Reviewed October 2026.
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