ED3 Solar Net Metering in 2026: What Rider 8B Means for Maricopa Homeowners

If you search “Arizona net metering” or “Arizona solar export rates,” every result you find describes APS or SRP. None of it applies to you if you live in Maricopa and your utility is ED3. This is the single biggest misinformation gap in Arizona solar content, and it's why we wrote this guide.

ED3 is not regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission. It sets its own solar rules through an elected board. The export credit, the interconnection process, the fees — all different from APS and SRP. Here's what's actually true for ED3 solar customers in 2026.

What Changed in December 2025

On December 1, 2025, ED3 closed Rider 8 (the legacy solar buyback program) and replaced it with Rider 8B (the DG Export Program). The key difference:

If you installed solar before December 2025, you're grandfathered on Rider 8 terms. If you're installing solar now or planning to, you're on Rider 8B.

The Transparency Problem: ED3 Doesn't Publish the Export Rate

Here is the part that makes ED3 solar math uniquely frustrating: the actual avoided cost export credit rate is not published anywhere on ed3online.org. The rate schedule says:

“ED3 avoided energy costs will be periodically evaluated and the amount paid under this rider will change accordingly. The District may use a resource comparison proxy or other appropriate avoided cost methodology...”

Translation: ED3 calculates what they would have paid for wholesale power and credits you at that rate. The rate floats. You don't know exactly what you'll be paid until you get your first bill.

To get the current rate:

• Call ED3's DG Coordinator at (520) 424-9021
• Email dg@ed-3.org
• Ask a neighbor with ED3 solar what their most recent export credit shows on their bill

For comparison, APS publishes their export rate clearly ($0.0617/kWh, locked for 10 years), and SRP's CGP export rate is about $0.035/kWh. ED3's avoided cost rate is likely somewhere in that range, but the lack of transparency makes it harder to calculate ROI before you commit to installing solar.

What Solar Costs Look Like on ED3

Under Rider 8B, your ED3 solar bill has several components beyond the basic energy charges:

The DGFCR is the “solar penalty” — a monthly fee based on the size of your solar system in kilowatts DC. Combined with the $5/month higher base charge, this is ED3's way of recovering fixed grid costs from solar customers. The exact DGFCR rate, like the export credit, is not publicly posted.

How ED3 Solar Differs from APS and SRP

The key takeaway: ED3 solar is less transparent and more restrictive than APS or SRP, but the underlying economics may still be favorable because ED3's base rates are relatively low. The problem is you can't run precise ROI math without knowing the export credit and DGFCR values.

The 11-Step Interconnection Process

ED3's solar interconnection process is more involved than APS or SRP. Here's the full sequence (from ED3's published guidelines, Revision 11):

1. Submit Application — Application for Operation of Customer-Owned DG and Energy Storage Facilities to dg@ed-3.org
2. ED3 reviews — if errors, contractor and customer notified by email
3. Correct and resubmit if needed
4. Queued for approval — ED3 processes up to 30 applications per month, first-come first-served. If the queue is full, you wait for the next month.
5. Letter of Approval — ED3 emails the approval for interconnection
6. Notify AHJ — give the approval letter to City of Maricopa or Pinal County for permit clearance
7. Install the system
8. Schedule AHJ inspection
9. AHJ passes system — inspector emails ED3 the Clearance for Connection
10. Schedule ED3 commissioning — email dg@ed-3.org to set a date
11. ED3 installs new meter — you're live

Important notes:

• Customer pays ALL interconnection costs upfront
• You provide the meter socket(s) — typically two meters (incoming + generation)
• ED3 does NOT inspect installation workmanship or materials — that's the AHJ's job
• Minimum system size: 1 kW DC
• Maximum for simplified residential: 10 kW AC inverter capacity
• HB2301 (effective Jan 1, 2026) mandates faster permitting statewide — this should help with the AHJ steps but doesn't change ED3's own queue

When DG TOU Launches: The Math Changes Everything

ED3's rate book formally includes Rate 01 DG TOU B1 — a time-of-use plan for solar customers with the same 2-9pm peak window and the same three-season rates as the standard TOU. But the website still says “Coming Soon” and the rate isn't operationally enabled yet.

When it launches, the economics shift dramatically. Right now, ED3 solar customers pay a flat $0.1007-$0.1217/kWh for grid consumption. On DG TOU, off-peak grid consumption drops to $0.0602/kWh — nearly half the current rate. This makes batteries far more valuable:

• Without DG TOU: You save ~$0.10/kWh by self-consuming solar instead of drawing from grid
• With DG TOU: A battery that charges from solar and discharges during Super Summer peak saves $0.2482 - $0.0602 = $0.1880/kWh — nearly double the savings

If you're an ED3 customer considering solar + battery, the DG TOU launch is worth waiting for — or at least factoring into your long-term ROI. Call ED3 at (520) 424-9021 to ask for a timeline.

Should You Go Solar on ED3?

The honest answer: it depends on numbers ED3 doesn't make easy to find. Unlike APS where you can plug into our Solar ROI Calculator with published rates and get a precise payback estimate, ED3's unpublished export credit and DGFCR make it harder to model.

What we can say:

• Federal 30% ITC still applies — ED3's regulatory status doesn't affect the federal tax credit. A $25,000 system still gets ~$7,500 back.
• Arizona state credit applies — 25% up to $1,000, regardless of utility
• Self-consumption is key — like SRP, the economics favor using your own solar rather than exporting. Right-size your system to match daytime usage.
• Batteries will matter more when DG TOU launches — the $0.2482 Super Summer peak rate creates a massive arbitrage opportunity for stored solar
• The 30-application monthly queue means you should apply early — don't wait until monsoon season to start the process

Next Steps for Maricopa Solar

1. Call ED3 at (520) 424-9021 and ask for the current avoided cost export rate and DGFCR rate — these are the two numbers you need for any ROI estimate
2. Get quotes from at least 3 local installers who are familiar with ED3's interconnection process (not all Phoenix-area installers are)
3. Read our Arizona Solar Incentives 2026 guide for the full list of federal and state incentives
4. Compare ED3 economics to APS net billing and SRP's retired net metering to understand where ED3 fits in the Arizona landscape
5. Check our ED3 Peak Hours & TOU Rates guide to understand the rate structure your solar system will be working within

We're building an ED3-specific solar calculator that will incorporate the real ED3 rate structure, export credits, and DGFCR. Once ED3 makes the avoided cost rate accessible, we'll be the first site to offer accurate ED3 solar ROI math. Bookmark this page — we'll update it as new information becomes available.