One utility, one-to-one credits
LPEA serves Durango, Bayfield, Ignacio and the rural county. When your panels produce more than you use in a month, the excess kilowatt-hours go into a net-meter bank, and LPEA treats the energy you send it as worth the same as the energy it sends you. You’ll still pay the base charge, peak power charges and taxes, which solar credits don’t erase.
LPEA currently offers no rebate for solar itself. Its On-Bill Financing program limits arrays to 150% of your previous year’s use, and LPEA recommends sizing to offset about 100%.
LPEA after Tri-State
LPEA exited its 50-year wholesale power contract with Tri-State on April 1, 2026, after giving notice in 2024. That gives the co-op more flexibility on local generation and rates, but it also means rate structures may evolve. We check LPEA’s current tariff when we quote rather than rely on older numbers.
Interconnection zones matter here
LPEA publishes an interconnection map that marks parts of its system as constrained. In those zones, larger systems may face limits, and LPEA pays an extra battery rebate to members there who delay charging until noon in the growing season and are approved to export. We look up your address on that map before we design.
Permits: county, towns and tribal land
La Plata County’s Building Division issues permits for unincorporated, non-tribal property. The county adopted the 2024 International Code family, along with Colorado’s model electric-ready and solar-ready code, on June 23, 2026 — relevant if you’re building new. Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio handle permits within their limits, and property within the Southern Ute Indian Reservation may fall under different authority, which we confirm for each site.
Snow, fire and elevation
Durango sits around 6,500 feet, and homes up the Animas Valley and toward Vallecito sit higher, with heavier snow loads and more shading from ponderosa and ridges. The 2018 416 Fire north of Durango left no doubt about wildfire exposure here. Clear high-altitude sun helps production, and cold panels are efficient panels.
Rebates & programs
Programs change often. Status shown is what we could confirm on the date listed — always check with the program before you count on it.
LPEA Battery Energy Storage System Rebate
Open$1,000 for 10–19.9 kWh and $2,000 for 20+ kWh; bonus $500/$1,000 in orange/red interconnection zones. Battery must be scheduled to minimize peak demand 4–9 pm and allow ≤30% minimum state of charge; apply within 90 days of permission to operate.
- Base rebate $1,000 (10–19.9 kWh) / $2,000 (≥20 kWh); bonus $500 / $1,000 in orange or red interconnection zones.(source)
- Requires scheduling to minimize peak demand 4–9 pm; interconnection application after 2025-01-01; apply within 90 days of PTO.(source)
- Bonus requires delaying charging until noon April–October and approval to export.(source)
FAQ
Questions we hear
Does LPEA give a rebate for solar panels?
Not currently, per LPEA. It does offer battery rebates, plus rebates for EV chargers, heat pumps and efficiency upgrades.
How does LPEA credit my extra solar power?
Excess kWh go into a net-meter bank at a one-to-one value. Base charges, peak power charges, taxes and fees still apply.
What are LPEA’s interconnection zones?
LPEA maps parts of its grid as constrained (orange or red zones). They can affect system size, and members there can earn an extra battery rebate. We check your address.
What changed when LPEA left Tri-State?
As of April 1, 2026, LPEA is no longer bound by Tri-State’s wholesale contract, which gives it more room on local power supply. Rate details may change over time; we quote from the current tariff.
Who issues solar permits near Ignacio?
Inside town limits, the Town of Ignacio; on unincorporated non-tribal land, La Plata County; on reservation land, authority may differ. We confirm for your parcel.
How big can my solar system be on LPEA?
If you use LPEA’s On-Bill Financing, arrays are limited to 150% of the previous year’s use; LPEA recommends sizing for about 100%. Constrained interconnection zones may limit size further.