Tired of Dallas Electric bills? Here are your solar and backup options
Dallas has run its own electric utility for more than a century. If you are a Dallas electric customer looking at solar, a battery or a generator, here is the local picture.
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A small town utility with its own crew
The Town of Dallas in Gaston County has owned and operated its electric utility for over 100 years. The department serves more than 3,540 customers over about 60 miles of distribution lines fed by two substations. A ten person crew handles the work, including a line clearance team overseen by a certified arborist. Rates are set by the town board.
Dallas also runs peak shaving generators that can feed the distribution grid during high demand, which helps manage wholesale costs. The town is an ElectriCities member, and customers can get energy saving tips and home energy audits through ElectriCities.
Solar on the Dallas system
Dallas's solar terms were not posted where we could verify them, so call the electric department early. Across ElectriCities towns the usual pattern is an interconnection application, a signed interconnection agreement, often a power purchase agreement, a second meter and a final inspection. Most nearby towns credit solar output at the utility's avoided cost rather than the full retail rate. That changes the payback math a lot, so get the exact rule in writing from Dallas before you compare quotes.
Outages and backup
After hours, Dallas routes outage calls through the Gaston County Police non-emergency dispatch line to on-call electric staff. Tree trimming is a big part of the department's work, which tells you what usually causes outages here.
If backup power is the goal, plan for a battery or a standby generator. Grid-tied solar stops producing during an outage unless it is paired with equipment built to island safely. Ask the contractor to size backup around the loads you cannot do without, such as heat, the fridge, a sump or well pump, and to confirm the layout with Dallas Electric before anything is installed.
Start with a $349 home energy evaluation
Getting a solar contractor out to Dallas can take a while. Booking a paid evaluation on HomeBackupPros changes that. For $349 a contractor does an electric audit, reviews your energy use and writes up a quote for a system that fits Dallas Electric's rules. If you buy from that same contractor, the $349 is credited toward the system.
Have your kWh by month handy from your Dallas Electric bills, and note what runs on electric versus gas or propane. Every contractor on HomeBackupPros is reviewed and approved by our team, and we check their NC electrical contractor license. Contractors are independent businesses and HomeBackupPros does not install anything. Some contractors also offer a free site visit or an estimate, and the choice is yours.
Where Dallas Electric serves in our area
- Dallas
- Gaston County
Questions
Who runs electric service in Dallas, NC?
The Town of Dallas owns and operates its own electric department. It serves more than 3,540 customers and has done so for over a century.
How do I report a Dallas power outage after hours?
The town says after hours calls go through the Gaston County Police non-emergency dispatch line, which reaches on-call electric personnel.
Does Dallas offer net metering?
We could not confirm Dallas's solar crediting terms online. Ask the electric department about interconnection steps and export credits before you sign a solar contract.
Can a battery replace a generator in Dallas?
For short outages, often yes. For outages of several days, a generator or a large battery paired with solar is the safer plan. A $349 evaluation sizes it to your loads.