No upfront cost, included maintenance, and a low solar energy rate that will stay the same for 25 years!
For years, going solar usually meant purchasing a system with cash or through a long-term loan. That can still be a strong investment, but it is no longer the only way to benefit from solar.
More homeowners are choosing solar leases and Power Purchase Agreements, or PPAs. These options allow homeowners to use solar energy without buying the equipment, taking out another loan, or becoming responsible for maintaining the system.
For Georgia homeowners, the timing is especially relevant. Electricity prices have risen substantially, the federal residential solar tax credit has expired, and many families want a more predictable way to manage energy costs.
Georgia Power Rates Have Increased More Than 41% in Five Years
A Georgia Public Service Commission residential rate survey found that the summer bill for a Georgia Power customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours increased approximately 41% between 2021 and 2025, reaching nearly $190 per month. That works out to an effective bill cost of roughly 19 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared with approximately 13.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2021.
The increase has been especially sharp in recent years. Georgia Power reported that customers using more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month were paying approximately $43 more each month in 2025 than they were at the end of 2022.
That uncertainty is causing homeowners to ask not only, “How much can solar save me today?” but also, “How much of my future energy cost can I make predictable?”
What Is a Solar PPA?
Under a solar PPA, a third-party provider owns the system installed on the home and the homeowner pays nothing for installation or long term maintenance. The homeowner purchases the electricity the solar panels generate at an agreed price per kilowatt-hour.
With a solar lease, the homeowner generally pays a set monthly amount for use of the equipment. With a PPA, the homeowner pays for the electricity the system produces.
Sunpath is proud to offer Palmetto LightReach’s 25-year Energy Plan which includes proactive system monitoring, maintenance, and protection.
Homeowners generally continue receiving a Georgia Power bill covering fixed charges and electricity used when solar production does not meet the home’s demand. The goal is usually not to eliminate the utility bill, but to buy substantially less electricity from Georgia Power and to generate more of your own power at a much lower rate.
Why PPAs Are Becoming More Popular
No large upfront investment or additional loan
Purchasing solar can require substantial cash or a new loan. With a PPA, qualifying homeowners can begin using solar without purchasing the equipment upfront.
Because a PPA is an energy agreement rather than an equipment loan, it may also help homeowners preserve their borrowing capacity and avoid financing costs built into some long-term solar loans.
Included maintenance and monitoring
Because the provider owns the system, it is responsible for covered maintenance and equipment issues. LightReach also proactively monitors system performance.
The homeowner tax credit has expired
The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit applied to qualifying property placed in service through December 31, 2025. It is not available for residential clean-energy property placed in service after that date.
Purchasing may still provide the greatest lifetime savings for homeowners who can afford it. But without the homeowner tax credit, a PPA may be more attractive to families prioritizing immediate savings, included maintenance, and no upfront purchase.
Long-term rate stability
Many solar leases and PPAs include an annual escalator that increases the solar rate every year. Even a small escalator can add substantially to the total cost over 25 years.
That makes the escalator one of the most important terms to review before signing.
Sunpath’s 0% Escalator: “Rent Control” for Your Energy Costs
Through LightReach, Sunpath offers qualifying Georgia homeowners a 25-year solar PPA with a 0% annual rate escalator.
The agreed price for solar electricity does not increase each year. Sunpath currently offers qualifying homeowners solar energy at approximately 9 to 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending on the home, roof, system design, and energy usage.
We think of this as “rent control for your energy costs.”
It does not freeze every part of the electric bill. Homeowners will still buy some electricity from Georgia Power and pay applicable utility charges. But the price of the electricity produced by the solar system remains predictable for the full agreement term.
Solar Systems Should Be Sized Carefully in Georgia
Georgia Power’s RNR Instantaneous Netting program compensates customers for excess solar sent to the grid at its annual Solar Avoided Energy Cost Rate—not the full retail price the homeowner pays for electricity.
Solar energy is therefore generally most valuable when it is used directly in the home. A responsible proposal should be based on actual consumption, roof conditions, seasonal usage, and expected production—not simply the amount of available roof space.
Questions to Ask Before Signing
Before entering any solar lease or PPA, homeowners should understand:
- The starting energy price and annual escalator
- Maintenance and monitoring responsibilities
- Production expectations
- What happens if the roof needs replacement
- The available options when the home is sold
LightReach allows transfer to a qualifying buyer, prepayment of the remaining agreement, or purchase of the system under applicable contract terms. Purchase prices are generally determined by fair market value.
Is a Solar PPA Right for You?
A PPA may be a strong fit for homeowners who want no large upfront purchase, no additional solar loan, included maintenance, and a predictable long-term energy rate.
Cash ownership may still produce greater lifetime savings. The right choice depends on the home, the homeowner’s financial goals, and the agreement being offered.
Lock In the Price of Sunshine
No one can say exactly what Georgia Power electricity will cost 10, 15, or 25 years from now.
With Sunpath’s LightReach PPA, qualifying homeowners can install solar with no upfront equipment purchase, receive included monitoring and maintenance, and lock in a solar rate with 0% annual escalation for 25 years.
You cannot control what Georgia Power will charge in the future.
But you may be able to control the price of the electricity produced on your own roof.
Contact Sunpath Solar for a customized solar production and savings analysis.
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