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Tazewell County DominionAPCo

Solar panels in Richlands, Virginia: 1,279 kWh per kW per year

A south-facing kilowatt of panels in Richlands makes about 1,279 kWh a year, 6.4% below the Virginia median. Power here comes from Dominion or APCo; the numbers below use the Dominion rate of 15.20¢ per kWh (2025 average). Your bill shows which one serves you.

1,279

kWh / kW / year

PVWatts, south-facing

4.77

Peak sun hours / day

annual average irradiance

10,232

kWh / yr from 8 kW

a common home system

15.20¢

Dominion price

2025 residential avg

Monthly solar production per kW in Richlands, VirginiaKilowatt-hours per month for a 1 kW south-facing system. Peak in May, low in Dec.050100150Jan85Feb92Mar109Apr119May129Jun117Jul124Aug126Sep108Oct106Nov91Dec73
NREL PVWatts v8, 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, azimuth 180°, tilt 25°, 14% losses. May makes about 1.8× Dec.

Seasonality

Monthly solar production in Richlands

Virginia net metering carries excess credits forward for 12 months, so May's surplus offsets Dec's shortfall. Systems are sized to annual usage rather than to the lowest month. How the calculator models net metering; the current rules by utility are on this Virginia incentives page, maintained by the installer behind this site.

Capacity factor: 14.6%. Elevation about 681 m. Compare every town on the city list, or see how roof direction, tilt and shade change the number.

Payback in Richlands

Solar cost and payback for an average home in Richlands

Assumes 1,038 kWh a month (≈ $158) at Dominion Energy's 2025 average price, Richlands's PVWatts production, 3% annual rate growth and $2.78/W installed, no federal credit. Dollars are nominal. Change any of it in the calculator, or compare every utility in Are solar panels worth it in Virginia?

Run it with your bill

9.7 kW

System size

$26,966

Est. cost

$2,066

Year-1 savings

12.0 yrs

Break-even

$61,686

25-yr savings

$34,720

Net benefit

undiscounted

Utility

Electric utilities serving Tazewell County

Tazewell County is split between utilities. Rates are calendar-year averages; see all Virginia utilities for the full table.

UtilityTypeAvg price ¢/kWhAvg kWh / monthData year
Dominion EnergyInvestor-owned utility15.201,0382025*
Appalachian PowerInvestor-owned utility17.161,0842025*

Questions

Questions about solar in Richlands

How much electricity does a solar system produce in Richlands?
About 1,279 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 10,232 kWh a year. East- or west-facing roofs make less; the calculator applies those factors.
Who is the electric utility in Richlands?
EIA's service-territory data lists Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power for Tazewell County. Boundaries run through the locality; your bill shows which one serves you. Dominion's 2025 average residential price was 15.20¢ per kWh.
Is solar worth it in Richlands?
For an average Dominion home (1,038 kWh a month), the default assumptions give a 9.7 kW system costing about $26,966 with a break-even around 12.0 years and $34,720 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 1024246.csv typical-year weather dataset for grid cell 1024246, 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.

Solar production in towns near Richlands

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.