Going Solar with Bluebonnet
Bluebonnet serves Central Texas between Austin and Houston (Bastrop, Lee, Fayette, Caldwell and nearby counties). If you’re installing rooftop solar here, this guide covers what you’ll pay for power, how you get credited for the energy you export, the interconnection process, and the fees to expect.
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Rates & getting paid for solar
Approx. bundled energy rate
11.0¢/kWh
Approx. solar export credit
6.7¢/kWh
As a cooperative, Bluebonnet both delivers your power and credits the solar energy you export — there’s no separate retail provider to choose. Rates shown are approximate; confirm current numbers with Bluebonnet.
Rate figures are best-guess estimates from 2025 data and are not a quote.
Interconnection & permit fees
Bluebonnet credits energy you return to the grid at a wholesale-based renewable rate (about 6.7¢/kWh, updated annually) and installs a solar-capable meter that reads consumption and generation separately, plus your local building permit.
Fees are approximate — verify against Bluebonnet’s current fee schedule and your local building department.
How to connect: step by step
Pull your local permits
Get a building & electrical permit from your city or county building department (your AHJ). Requirements vary locally; homeowners can often pull their own electrical permit as an owner-builder, though some jurisdictions require a licensed electrician for the interconnection wiring.
Check with your HOA
Texas’s Solar Rights Act means an HOA can’t ban rooftop solar, but it can require written approval and basic appearance standards — submit your plans first. Property Code §202.010
Request interconnection from Bluebonnet
Apply to Bluebonnet to connect to the grid. They review the application, install the bi-directional meter, and credit the energy you export — all in one place. Don’t energize the system until they issue Permission to Operate (PTO). Bluebonnet interconnection page
Pass inspection, then get switched on
Your city inspects the work and Bluebonnet commissions the meter. Once you receive Permission to Operate, you can legally turn the system on and start earning credits.
For a neutral overview of going solar in Texas, see the Public Utility Commission’s guide: Thinking About Solar Panels for Your Home? Or read the full Texas solar guide.