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Independent city Dominion

Solar panels in Chesapeake, Virginia

A south-facing kilowatt of panels in Chesapeake makes about 1,422 kWh a year, 2.4% above the Virginia median. Power here comes from Dominion Energy at 15.20¢ per kWh (2025 average).

1,422

kWh / kW / year

PVWatts, south-facing

5.03

Peak sun hours / day

annual average irradiance

11,376

kWh / yr from 8 kW

a common home system

15.20¢

Dominion price

2025 residential avg

Monthly solar production per kW in Chesapeake, VirginiaKilowatt-hours per month for a 1 kW south-facing system. Peak in May, low in Dec.050100150Jan94Feb99Mar123Apr140May141Jun136Jul140Aug129Sep122Oct113Nov101Dec84
NREL PVWatts v8, 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, azimuth 180°, tilt 25°, 14% losses. May makes about 1.7× Dec.

Seasonality

Summer surplus pays for winter.

Virginia net metering carries excess credits forward for 12 months, so May's overproduction offsets Dec's shortfall. That's why systems here are sized against annual usage, not the worst month. How the calculator models net metering; the current rules by utility are on Virtue Solar's incentives page.

Capacity factor: 16.2%. Elevation about 5 m. Compare every town on the production map, or see what moves the number in roof direction, tilt and shade.

Payback in Chesapeake

An average home here, solar-sized.

Assumes 1,038 kWh a month (≈ $158) at Dominion Energy's 2025 average price, Chesapeake's PVWatts production, 3% annual rate growth and $2.75/W installed, no federal credit. Dollars are nominal. Change any of it in the calculator, or see how every utility compares in Is solar worth it in Virginia?

Run it with your bill

8.8 kW

System size

$24,200

Est. cost

$2,073

Year-1 savings

10.6 yrs

Break-even

$62,242

25-yr savings

$38,042

Net benefit

undiscounted

Utilities serving Chesapeake

Who sends the bill

UtilityTypeAvg price ¢/kWhAvg kWh / monthData year
Dominion EnergyInvestor-owned utility15.201,0382025*

Questions

How much electricity does a solar system produce in Chesapeake?
About 1,422 kWh per year for every kilowatt of panels on a south-facing roof, according to NREL's PVWatts. An 8 kW system would make roughly 11,376 kWh a year. East- or west-facing roofs make less; the calculator applies those factors.
Who is the electric utility in Chesapeake?
Dominion Energy serves Chesapeake, per EIA's service-territory data. Dominion's 2025 average residential price was 15.20¢ per kWh.
Is solar worth it in Chesapeake?
For an average Dominion home (1,038 kWh a month), the default assumptions give a 8.8 kW system costing about $24,200 with a break-even around 10.6 years and $38,042 net benefit (nominal) over 25 years. Your bill, roof and shade change that; the calculator lets you enter them. The statewide picture is in “Is solar worth it in Virginia?”.
Where does the sun data come from?
NREL PVWatts v8 (8.5.0), using the 1169222.csv typical-year weather dataset for grid cell 1169222, about 1 km from the town center. Inputs: 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, 180° azimuth, 25° tilt, 14% system losses. Typical-year data doesn't change year to year.

Nearby places

Sources: NREL PVWatts v8 (8.5.0, typical-year weather); EIA Form 861 2025 utility data and service territories; U.S. Census Bureau place coordinates. Formulas and assumptions on the methodology page.