Northern Nevada's quiet rates
Sierra Pacific Power's average residential electricity price has risen from 11.8073 cents per kWh in 2015 to 13.14 cents in 2025, an increase of about 11 percent, or roughly 1.1 percent per year. The chart shows Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North)'s average residential price by year. Hover any point for the exact figure.
Current residential rates
Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North) residential rates are shown below, from the utility's published tariffs and the public Utility Rate Database. Rates vary by plan, season, and usage and change over time.
| Plan | Energy charge | Fixed / basic |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Service (D-1), standard single-family residential | 11.798 cents/kWh all-in total effective rate (BTGR+BTER 11.263 + DEAA 0.000 + TRED 0.055 + REPR -0.073 + EE 0.193 + NDPP 0.316 + ESAP 0.005), plus Universal Energy Charge 0.039 cents/kWh | $18.50/month basic service charge |
| Domestic Multi-Family Service (DM-1), separately metered apartment/condo | 11.413 cents/kWh all-in total effective rate, plus Universal Energy Charge 0.039 cents/kWh | $9.25/month basic service charge |
| Optional Domestic Time-of-Use (OD-1-TOU) | Summer on-peak 49.537 cents/kWh, summer off-peak 8.733 cents/kWh, all winter hours 8.728 cents/kWh (BTGR+BTER, before riders); riders DEAA/TRED/REPR/EE/NDPP/ESAP add about +0.50 cents/kWh net | $18.25/month basic service charge |
Rates are the posted NV Energy (Sierra Pacific Power) residential tariff effective April 1, 2026, as approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN), from the Q2 2026 bill-insert rate schedule. These are bundled rates (generation + transmission + distribution). The all-in Total Effective Rate Per kWh on the standard D-1 plan is 11.798 cents (about 11.8 cents), which is the rate-schedule list price; the EIA-861 effective average of 14.52 cents/kWh for 2024 is higher because it reflects the full revenue-per-kWh actually billed (including the basic service charge spread over usage and the higher deferred-energy/fuel costs in effect during 2023-2024). A separate Universal Energy Charge (UEC) of $0.00039/kWh applies to all usage. Net-metering customers are billed under parallel NMR rate schedules.
The same ladder, the northern division
Nevada uses a statutory, declining-tier net-metering structure set by Assembly Bill 405 (2017), administered by NV Energy under PUCN oversight. Each tier credits exported (excess) solar energy at a fixed percentage of the full retail rate: Tier 1 = 95% (closed 2018), Tier 2 = 88% (closed 2019), Tier 3 = 81% (closed 2020), and Tier 4 = 75% (currently open, no capacity cap). Any new residential solar customer today enrolls in Tier 4, so each kWh you send back to the grid earns a credit worth 75% of the retail rate (versus the ~100% one-to-one offset of full retail net metering). Credits are applied as a monetary credit on your next monthly bill and roll forward to offset months when you consume more than you produce. The structure applies to systems up to 25 kW (typical rooftop residential), and the tier rate you enroll under is locked in for 20 years from the original installation. Practical effect: solar still meaningfully offsets your bill, but exported energy is worth about a quarter less than the energy you buy, so self-consumption (sizing the system to your own load, or adding battery storage) is more valuable than overbuilding for export.
North vs south: what actually differs for Reno solar
Calm math for Reno roofs
Sierra Pacific's numbers make for calm solar math: roughly 1 percent average annual rate growth over the decade, a posted all in rate near 11.8 cents effective April 2026, and exports keeping three quarters of retail value with two decades of certainty. Nothing here is dramatic, which is itself the point.
With cheap power, each solar kWh saves modestly, so payback depends on install cost discipline more than on rate movement. Systems up to 25 kW qualify, credits roll forward as monetary credit, and self-consumption still edges out exporting by that 25 percent haircut. Get site-specific numbers for a Reno roof before assuming California style savings.
What rising Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North) rates could cost you
Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North) rates have risen about 1.1% per year. Enter your bill to see what that pace of increase could compound to over time, and what you have likely already absorbed. This is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Estimate only. Projects your current bill forward at Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North)'s historical average rate increase (1.1% per year, from EIA data); it assumes your usage stays the same except for any add-ons you select. Actual rates depend on your usage, rate plan, and the utility's future filings, and are not guaranteed. This is general information, not financial advice.
Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North) service area
Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North) serves Northern Nevada (Reno-Sparks, Carson City, Elko, Lake Tahoe area); investor-owned utility, NV Energy's northern division.
To confirm whether a specific address is served by Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North), check your electricity bill. A ZIP lookup tool is coming to this site.
Full data and sources
Per-utility prices are computed from EIA Form 861 (bundled residential revenue divided by sales), which reconciles to the EIA's published figures. These are public-domain U.S. government data.
| Year | Sierra Pacific (NV Energy North) (c/kWh) |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 11.8073 |
| 2016 | 10.2639 |
| 2017 | 10.5319 |
| 2018 | 11.1321 |
| 2019 | 11.0625 |
| 2020 | 10.1786 |
| 2021 | 10.9263 |
| 2022 | 13.3039 |
| 2023 | 16.1033 |
| 2024 | 14.518 |
| 2025 | 13.14 |
Sources: EIA Form 861 detailed data files (Sales to Ultimate Customers, utility 17166, 2015-2024) · EIA Table 6 - 2024 Utility Bundled Retail Sales, Residential (Sierra Pacific Power Co: 14.518 cents/kWh) · NV Energy / Sierra Pacific Power residential rate schedule, effective April 1, 2026 (PUCN-approved bill insert) · PUCN - Net Metering in Nevada (AB405 tiered structure, Tier 4 = 75% of retail) · NV Energy - Net Metering program page · EnergySage - 2026 NV Energy Net Metering overview · OpenEI - Sierra Pacific Power Co (Nevada), EIA Utility ID 17166
FAQ
What net metering does Sierra Pacific Power offer?
Nevada's statutory AB 405 structure: new residential systems up to 25 kW enroll in Tier 4, crediting exported energy at 75 percent of the retail rate, applied as a monetary credit that rolls forward on your bill.
Is the Reno deal different from Las Vegas?
The net metering ladder is identical statewide. What differs is the underlying rates: Sierra Pacific's standard D-1 residential tariff is about 11.8 cents all in effective April 2026 with an $18.50 monthly basic service charge.
Why does EIA show a higher average price than the tariff sheet?
The EIA figure of 14.52 cents for 2024 reflects total billed revenue divided by sales, which includes the fixed monthly charge spread over usage and the elevated fuel and deferred energy costs of 2023 and 2024, while the 11.8 cent figure is the posted rate schedule price.
How long is the 75 percent export rate guaranteed?
The tier you enroll under is locked for 20 years from the original installation at that location, under the AB 405 framework administered by NV Energy with PUCN oversight.