Solar Panel Installation in Chico, CA
Chico summers are among the hottest in the state, and PG&E bills climb right along with the thermometer. Solar, paired with a battery, both lowers your bill and keeps your home running when the grid goes down. Solectric is bringing 18+ years of experience and more than 3,600 installs north to Chico, with systems designed for PG&E's NEM 3.0 rules.
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Why Chico Is a Strong Fit for Solar
Few places in the state run their air conditioning harder than Chico. Triple-digit summers stretch from June into September, and cooling a home through them drives some of the highest bills of the year, made worse by PG&E's rates.
Big, sunny roofs across the city, from the neighborhoods near Chico State to the newer east-side developments, turn that intense sun into power. The hotter it gets, the more a well-sized system pays off.
Chico Is on PG&E and NEM 3.0, with Pioneer Coming in 2027
Chico's electricity is delivered by PG&E, so your solar falls under California's NEM 3.0 net billing rules. Under NEM 3.0, exported power earns far less than it once did, so the savings come from using your own solar and offsetting PG&E's high rates rather than selling back to the grid. With Chico's heat, offsetting your own use is worth a great deal.
A change is on the way. Starting in October 2027, Pioneer Community Energy is set to become the local generation provider for Chico, Oroville, and Paradise, while PG&E keeps handling the wires and billing. It will not change the core approach, which under NEM 3.0 is to pair your solar with a battery so you use your own power in the evening. We design around today's rules and the coming change, and handle the PG&E interconnection. See our NEM 3.0 guide and Finance and Incentives page for more.
Bringing Solectric to Chico
We are a Sacramento-region solar and electric company growing our service north into Chico and the northern valley. That gives Chico homeowners a team with 18+ years of experience, more than 3,600 installs behind it, a top 1% contractor ranking in California, and licensed in-house crews. We handle solar, battery backup, and the whole project from design to activation.
Backup Power for Outage and PSPS Season
Chico and the surrounding foothills see more power interruptions than the Sacramento metro, from summer heat strain on the grid to Public Safety Power Shutoffs during high wildfire-risk weather.
That makes a battery especially valuable here. Paired with solar, it keeps your essentials running when the grid goes down, and the rest of the year it stores your daytime power for the pricey evening hours. For a lot of Chico homeowners, resilience is as big a reason to go solar as the savings.
Why Chico Homeowners Choose Solectric
● Experience you can check: 18+ years, more than 3,600 installs, and a 4.9-star rating across the region.
● Solar and battery backup together: We design systems for both savings and resilience, which matters in Butte County.
● We know PG&E and NEM 3.0: We design around the rules that apply in Chico and handle the interconnection for you.
● In-house crews, never subcontracted: The team that designs your system installs it.
● Top 1% of California contractors: Ranked in the top 1% of 330,000+ licensed contractors statewide.
Going Solar in Chico, Step by Step
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Free quote: We assess your roof, your PG&E usage, your backup needs, and your goals, then design a system at no cost.
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Design and permits: We engineer your system, pull the City of Chico or county permit, and file the PG&E interconnection.
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Install and activate: : Our crew installs your system, coordinates the inspection and PG&E permission to operate, and switches it on.
What Solectric Customers Say
Serving Chico and the Northern Valley
We install for homeowners in Chico and the surrounding Butte County communities, including Oroville and Paradise, as we grow our service into the northern valley.
FAQs
Which utility serves Chico?
PG&E delivers your power, so your solar is on NEM 3.0. Starting in October 2027, Pioneer Community Energy is scheduled to supply Chico's generation while PG&E keeps handling delivery. Either way, offsetting your own use and adding a battery is where the savings are.
Will a battery keep my power on during a shutoff?
Yes. A properly sized battery keeps your essential circuits running during a PSPS event or outage, which is a real benefit in Butte County. We size it around what you want to back up.
Is solar worth it in Chico?
For many homes, yes. Chico's intense heat, high cooling bills, and PG&E's rates make a strong case, and battery backup adds resilience. We will model your exact numbers first.
How much do solar panels cost in Chico?
It depends on your home's size, your usage, and whether you add a battery. We design around your actual usage and give you a clear, itemized quote for free.
Do you install in Chico?
Yes. We are expanding our service into Chico and the northern valley, bringing the same licensed crews and 18+ years of experience we are known for in the Sacramento region.