Peace River Electric Cooperative (PRECO) Solar & Net Metering Guide
Last updated: July 13, 2026 by Goldin Solar
Peace River Electric Cooperative — referred to as PRECO — is a member-owned electric cooperative serving central/south-central Florida. PRECO’s headquarters is in Wauchula (Hardee County), and the service territory spans portions of Hardee, DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota, Polk, Hillsborough, Highlands, and Charlotte counties. PRECO is the primary utility for much of inland agricultural Florida.
Who PRECO serves
PRECO’s eight-county footprint covers:
– Hardee County — primary utility for Wauchula, Bowling Green, and most of the county
– DeSoto County — primary utility for Arcadia and most of the county
– East Manatee, East Sarasota — rural inland areas
– Service territory: 10-county Florida rural cooperative
If you’re a PRECO member, your meter swap and net metering tariff run through PRECO directly — not FPL or Duke.
PRECO net metering: the basics
- Eligibility: Customer-sited residential PV at member’s premises; PRECO membership
- System size cap: Per PRECO Net Metering tariff; confirm current cap at application
- Bill credit structure: Per current tariff
- Annual true-up: Excess credits at avoided-cost rate at year-end; confirm current rate with PRECO
- Interconnection application: Required before installation
- PTO process: PRECO-managed meter swap and PTO
What makes PRECO different from FPL / Duke
- Cooperative governance. PRECO is owned by its members.
- Agricultural / rural-residential profile. Most PRECO members are on larger lots. Ground-mount feasibility is meaningfully higher than urban FL.
- Citrus / cattle / strawberry agricultural footprint. Member customer profile is often farm-tied. Pumping loads, well loads, electric-fence, and barn lighting all factor into solar sizing.
- Cooperative cycles differ from PSC dockets.
Permit + utility coordination for PRECO members
- Building permit with the relevant county building department
- PRECO interconnection application — submitted in parallel
- HOA / ARC approval if applicable
- Installation after permit issuance
- Final inspection by the building department
- PRECO meter swap after final inspection
- PTO grant
Typical PRECO timeline
| Stage | Typical days |
|---|---|
| Building permit + PRECO application | 14-30 (parallel) |
| Installation execution | 1-2 days |
| Final inspection | 3-10 |
| Meter swap + PTO | 28–56 days typical; confirm current queue with PRECO |
What we’ve learned working with PRECO
- Ground-mount feasibility is high. Many PRECO members have lot sizes that support ground-mount; site assessment is worthwhile.
- Agricultural-load sizing matters. Pumps, fans, barn lighting often justify larger systems than the residence alone would suggest.
- Submit interconnection in parallel. Sequential adds weeks.
- Battery + solar is supported.
Frequently asked questions
Is PRECO net metering as good as FPL?
Different structure. We model your specific case.
I have a working farm — can I size solar for ag loads?
Yes — pump, well, fence, barn lighting all factor in.
Ground-mount solar — feasible?
Often yes. Site assessment determines.
Battery + solar — supported?
Yes. Additional ESS documentation.
Does Goldin Solar handle PRECO interconnection paperwork?
Yes — included on every PRECO contract at no additional charge.
Talk to a PRECO solar specialist
Goldin Solar, LLC · 1105 US Highway 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960 · (855) 765-2730 · CVC 57300
Related guides: Solar permits in Hardee County · Solar permits in DeSoto County · Solar permits in Manatee County
Credentials
- Tesla Certified Installer (Solar + Powerwall)
- Sol-Ark Authorized Installer
- SolarEdge & Enphase certified
- Co-founder & CEO Joe Cataldo: BS Electrical Engineering (University of Florida)
- Florida licenses: CVC 57300 (Solar), EC1301385 (Electrical), CCC1331878 (Roofing)
- 3,000+ installations across Florida since 2014
- Office: 1105 US Highway 1, Vero Beach, FL 32960 · (855) 765-2730
Author + dates
- Author: Joe Cataldo, BS Electrical Engineering (University of Florida)
- Published: July 13, 2026
- Last reviewed: July 13, 2026
- Next review: every 6 months or sooner if the utility revises its tariff or program rules