Mississippi Solar Calculator 2026
Estimate your solar savings in Mississippi — with honest numbers on net energy billing, the PSC rebate program, and how 11.2-cent electricity rates affect your payback.
Federal tax credit expired: The 30% federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and does not apply to systems installed in 2026 or later. Any quote or calculator still showing a 30% federal credit is outdated.
Estimate Your Solar Savings
Find out how much you can save based on your location and current energy usage.
Mississippi's "Net Renewable Generation" — Not True Net Metering
Understanding what you're actually paid for exported solar matters enormously to your payback math.
Mississippi does NOT pay retail rate for solar exports
Mississippi's PSC program compensates exported solar at the utility's avoided energy cost plus a distributed generation value adder of approximately 2.5 cents/kWh — not the full retail rate you pay for grid electricity. This is a meaningfully worse deal than full 1:1 net metering states like Florida, New Jersey, or Maryland. Expect export credits of roughly 5–8 cents/kWh, compared to the retail rate of about 11.2 cents/kWh you pay when buying power from the grid.
Entergy Mississippi Customers
As of a January 2025 PSC order, standard residential customers receive approximately 5.5 cents/kWh in net excess generation credits.
Low-to-moderate income customers (at or below 250% of the federal poverty line) qualify for an LMI adder, raising their credit to approximately 7.5 cents/kWh for 15 years from when they begin net metering service. Confirm current rates with Entergy Mississippi or the Mississippi PSC before finalizing your payback estimate.
Mississippi Power Customers
Mississippi Power (a Southern Company subsidiary, serving the Gulf Coast region) is also subject to the PSC distributed generation rule. Export credit rates and exact program terms differ from Entergy Mississippi.
Confirm current net renewable generation credits directly with Mississippi Power or the Mississippi PSC before signing a solar contract.
The PSC rule covers only ~43% of Mississippi ratepayers
Entergy Mississippi and Mississippi Power serve roughly 43% of Mississippi electricity customers. The other 57% — served by rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and all TVA-served areas in north Mississippi — are NOT subject to the PSC distributed generation rule.
Co-ops and municipal utilities set their own net metering and solar buyback terms independently. Some offer net metering comparable to the PSC rule. Others offer little or no credit for exported solar.
Before assuming any statewide rule applies to you, confirm which utility serves your address and ask them directly about their current solar export credit policy.
Mississippi Solar Incentives in 2026
PSC $3,500 Residential Rebate
The Mississippi PSC approved a $3,500 upfront rebate for residential solar installations (often paid directly to the installer, reducing your net system cost). Separate programs exist for solar at schools and low-income households.
Volatile program history: These programs were suspended in 2024 and only reinstated in April 2025 after Mississippi did not receive expected federal Solar for All funding. Funding availability and program status have fluctuated significantly. Verify current program status and funding availability directly with your utility or the Mississippi PSC before including this in your budget.
No State Income Tax Credit
Mississippi does not have a dedicated state income tax credit for residential solar installations. Unlike states such as Hawaii (35% credit) or the former federal Section 25D credit, there is no state-level percentage-of-cost credit available to Mississippi homeowners in 2026.
Sales Tax — Confirm Before Assuming
Available sources conflict on whether Mississippi has a dedicated statewide sales tax exemption specifically for solar equipment. Do not assume an exemption applies. Confirm current sales tax treatment with the Mississippi Department of Revenue or your installer before signing a contract — the answer may affect your total system cost by hundreds of dollars.
Federal Tax Credit — Expired
The 30% federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It does not apply to any system installed in 2026 or later. Any installer quote or online calculator still showing a 30% federal credit is using outdated information.
Mississippi Solar Economics: Sun vs. Low Rates
The honest payback picture for Mississippi
Mississippi sits in a genuinely strong solar belt — similar sun exposure to Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee. That's a real asset. The challenge is the combination of low retail electricity rates (~11.2 cents/kWh) and below-retail export credits (~5.5–7.5 cents/kWh) for the minority of customers under the PSC rule.
Every kWh you generate and use yourself is worth the full 11.2-cent retail rate — that's your most valuable solar output. Every kWh you export gets credited at only 5.5–7.5 cents (for PSC-regulated customers) or potentially less for co-op/municipal customers. This means right-sizing your system to closely match your own consumption matters more in Mississippi than in high-rate states.
Without the federal tax credit available in 2026, payback periods extend meaningfully. The PSC $3,500 rebate — if still funded when you install — provides meaningful upfront cost reduction, but verify its availability before depending on it in your calculations.
Know Which Utility Serves You
Your solar incentives depend almost entirely on which utility serves your address. Mississippi has an unusually fragmented utility landscape.
Entergy Mississippi
Serves most of central and southern Mississippi. Subject to PSC net renewable generation rule. ~5.5¢/kWh standard export credit (January 2025 order), ~7.5¢/kWh for LMI customers. Verify current rates before finalizing estimates.
Mississippi Power (Southern Company)
Serves the Gulf Coast region (Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Biloxi, and surrounding areas). Subject to PSC distributed generation rule. Confirm exact export credit rates directly with Mississippi Power.
Rural Electric Cooperatives
Serve a large portion of Mississippi's rural areas. NOT subject to the PSC rule. Each co-op sets its own solar policy. Some offer net metering; others offer minimal credit or none. Contact your co-op directly.
TVA-Served Areas (North Mississippi)
All TVA-served distributors in north Mississippi are exempt from the PSC rule. TVA's Green Power Switch and distributor co-ops govern solar policy in these areas. Terms vary by local distributor — confirm before assuming any statewide rule applies.
Mississippi Solar FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about solar incentives, costs, and savings.
This page is for informational and estimation purposes only. Solar incentive programs, utility rate structures, and net metering rules change frequently. The PSC $3,500 rebate program has had volatile funding availability. Always verify current net export credit rates, rebate program status, and sales tax treatment with Entergy Mississippi, Mississippi Power, your local cooperative or municipal utility, the Mississippi Department of Revenue, and the Mississippi Public Service Commission before making any purchasing decisions. The federal Section 25D residential solar tax credit expired December 31, 2025 and is not available for systems installed in 2026 or later.