Union Power members: what solar and batteries really do on your bill

Who Union Power is

Union Power Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative headquartered in Monroe. It serves members in Union, Cabarrus, Stanly, Mecklenburg and Rowan counties. A board of directors elected by its members governs the co-op and its rates.

No net metering, and what that means

Union Power says plainly that it does not offer net metering. Energy a member's system sends to the grid is paid under Rate Rider SQF at an avoided-cost rate, and the rider carries a monthly facilities charge. The co-op also cautions that solar will not take a bill to zero, because homes with solar stay connected and still pay grid charges.

That is not a reason to skip solar. It is a reason to size it right. Under this setup the value comes from power you use yourself, so the goal is to match production to daytime use, or store midday output in a battery for the evening. A contractor who sizes for maximum export is working from the wrong playbook here.

Solar and battery interconnection

For residential systems of 100 kW or less, Union Power asks for:

• A signed Interconnection Agreement and Interconnection Application
• Proof of insurance (a copy of a bill does not count)
• An electrical line drawing, plus panel, inverter and battery specifications
• HOA approval where it applies, before you apply
• A one-time non-refundable interconnection charge

After review the co-op contacts you about payment and when construction can begin. Once the system passes final county inspection, Union Power installs a bi-directional meter and the system can be turned on. A second meter may be needed depending on the setup. Adding a battery or changing inverters later requires a new permit, inspection and application, so it is worth planning the battery up front.

Union Power does not sell or install solar, and it does not provide engineering or financial modeling for systems. It does offer a free home energy assessment, and it recommends members call before signing a solar contract.

Backup in the Piedmont

Ice storms and summer thunderstorms bring outages to rural Union and Stanly counties, and many homes outside the towns are on wells. A battery that can start the well pump and run the refrigerator and furnace fan covers most short outages. A standby generator is still a good fit for homes that want days of runtime.

The fastest way to a real answer

Around Monroe, Locust and Albemarle, solar contractors are busy, and getting one to show up can take weeks. 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 Union Power Cooperative.