Haywood EMC members: a 9 percent rate increase and what you can do about it
Haywood EMC raised residential rates 9 percent starting in October 2026, its first increase since 2018. Members can connect solar under two options, and many want backup after Helene. Here is a plain look at both.
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Who Haywood EMC is
Haywood Electric Membership Corporation is a member-owned cooperative based in Waynesville. In North Carolina it serves members in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Transylvania, Buncombe and Madison counties, plus parts of Oconee County, South Carolina and Rabun County, Georgia. A board elected by the members governs it, and any margin goes back to members rather than to shareholders.
Why rates went up
The co-op raised residential rates 9 percent starting in October 2026. It was the first increase since April 2018. Haywood EMC buys nearly all of its power from Duke Energy, and that wholesale power is about 45 percent of its total costs. The co-op also pointed to higher prices for transformers, poles and wire, and to the cost of restoring power after more frequent storms.
None of that is unusual, but it does mean a bigger share of your bill depends on costs set far from Waynesville. Making some of your own power at home is one way to take back part of that control.
How Haywood EMC treats home solar
Haywood EMC offers two ways to connect:
- Sell All. A separate service is installed, and all of your generation is metered and bought by the co-op at its posted purchase rate.
- Sell Excess. Your home uses the solar first, and any leftover energy is bought by the co-op at the same rate.
Either way you stay connected to the grid, and the standard charges every member pays still apply no matter how much your system produces. The co-op also has a Time of Day rate, which can matter if you add a battery that shifts use away from peak hours.
The interconnection application asks for your account number, a copy of your homeowner's insurance policy, the panel and inverter details including UL 1741 listing, and whether the system meets IEEE 1547. Battery capacity and a one-line diagram can be uploaded with it. A Certificate of Completion follows installation.
Backup after Helene
Two days after Helene, about 20,000 Haywood EMC members were still without power, and the co-op warned restoration would face many logistical hurdles. Haywood EMC itself sells standby generators with financing through a local credit union, which tells you how seriously members take backup here. Solar plus a battery is the quiet, fuel-free option, and a generator can be the right call for long cold outages. Many homes in coves with heavy tree cover end up with a mix.
The fastest way to a real answer
Contractors in the mountains are busy, and a quote can take weeks to arrive. On HomeBackupPros you can book a home energy evaluation for $349. It covers an electric audit, a review of your actual usage and a written quote for a system. If you buy the system from that same contractor, the $349 is credited toward the price. Contractors can also offer a free site visit or send an estimate instead, and you choose.
Every contractor is reviewed and approved by our team before they can respond, and we check their NC electrical contractor license number. They are independent businesses. HomeBackupPros does not install anything and is not affiliated with Haywood EMC.
Where Haywood EMC serves in our area
- Haywood County
- Jackson County
- Macon County
- Transylvania County
- Buncombe County
- Madison County
Questions
How much did Haywood EMC raise rates?
Haywood EMC raised residential rates 9 percent starting in October 2026, its first increase since April 2018. The co-op pointed to higher wholesale power costs from Duke Energy, which supplies nearly all of its power, along with higher equipment costs and storm restoration.
Does Haywood EMC offer net metering?
It offers Sell All and Sell Excess. Under Sell All a separate service is installed and the co-op buys all of your generation. Under Sell Excess your home uses the solar first and the co-op buys what is left over. Standard monthly charges stay on your bill either way.
What does Haywood EMC need for a solar application?
The application asks for your account number, a copy of your homeowner's insurance policy, system size, panel and inverter details including UL 1741 listing, and whether the system meets IEEE 1547. A one-line diagram and battery capacity can be uploaded. A Certificate of Completion is part of the process after installation.
Should I get a battery or a generator?
It depends on how long you want to ride out an outage and what you need to run. A battery is quiet and recharges from solar. A generator handles long, cloudy outages if fuel is on hand. A $349 evaluation on HomeBackupPros looks at your loads and gives you a written answer.