El Paso Electric Cool Roof Rebate: 2026 Guide

If you are recoating a flat roof or replacing a roof in El Paso this year, El Paso Electric (EPE) runs a cool roof rebate that most homeowners have never heard of, and no roofer we could find explains it. The rules live in a two-page EPE application and a program page. We read both. This guide sets out what they say, plainly, and what you should confirm with EPE before you buy anything.

The honest headline first: the rebate is small. EPE's own worked example is up to $0.06 per square foot. On a 2,000 square foot roof that is about $120. The real payoff of a reflective roof in El Paso's sun is a cooler roof deck and a lighter load on the air conditioner, not the check. The rebate is a reason to choose a qualifying product when you are already doing the work, not a reason to start a project.

What the 2026 Rebate Pays

EPE pays per square foot of qualifying cool roof installed over conditioned space. The amount depends on four things: the insulation type, the roof slope, the product's reflectance rating and the roof area. The 2026 application says rebates run up to $0.06 per square foot, using a low-slope roof with minimum insulation and a product with a 0.70 three-year reflectance as the example. If your total project cost is lower than the calculated rebate, the rebate equals the project cost.

• Rebate column: our arithmetic at EPE's published example rate. Your rate may be lower depending on slope, insulation and product
• Coating column: national installed ranges for elastomeric and silicone coatings (modelled, not El Paso bids). See the El Paso roof cost guide

Who Qualifies

The application and the program page together set these conditions. All of them apply.

• You live in Texas and get electric service from EPE
• Single-family home, 1 to 4 units at one location
• The home is cooled by central or mini-split refrigerated air conditioning
• The home does not use electric resistance heat
• Only roof area over conditioned space counts; areas over garages and porches do not
• The product is rated by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC)
• The existing roof is a standard medium or dark color
• The product is bought and installed in the current program year, January to December

Check Income Eligibility Before You Buy

EPE runs this rebate under its Texas Residential and Income Qualified Solutions programs, and the program page sits in the income-qualified section of EPE's site. The 2026 application lists income-eligibility categories 1A, 1B and 1C, says Category 2 is not eligible, and points to EPE's Income Eligibility Form for an enhanced incentive. EPE's own text does not make it fully clear whether every applicant must meet those categories or only those seeking the enhanced amount.

We will not guess. Call CLEAResult, EPE's program administrator, at (915) 255-4300 before you buy a product, and ask two questions: does my household qualify, and is funding still available? Funding is limited and first come, first served.

The Reflectance Rule: Low Slope vs Steep Slope

The product must meet minimum solar reflectance, both when new and after three years of weathering. The thresholds differ by slope, because a flat roof sees the sun all day. Most El Paso flat roofs behind parapets are low slope; a pitched shingle or metal roof is steep slope. The CRRC's online directory lists rated products and their values.

• White elastomeric and silicone coatings and white TPO are the usual low-slope choices; confirm the rated values in the CRRC directory
• On a pitched roof, look for shingles or metal finishes sold with CRRC ratings; lighter colors reflect more

The 45-Day Rule and the Paperwork

Most rebates that go unpaid fail on paperwork, not on the roof. EPE requires the application within 45 days of the invoice date, with photos of the roof before and after the product is applied. Take the before photos yourself before work starts; you cannot recreate them later.

• The signed application form: insulation type, roof slope, product brand, model and roof area in square feet
• Before and after photos of the roof
• A copy or photo of the invoice or receipt; contractors should list the treated square footage
• Submit by email to [email protected], by mail to CLEAResult, 311 Montana Ave. A-2, El Paso, TX 79902, or through the online portal
• EPE or CLEAResult may inspect the work, a 15 to 20 minute weekday visit
• Processing takes about 4 to 8 weeks per the application

You Can Assign the Rebate to Your Roofer, or Do the Work Yourself

The application lets you hire any contractor or do the work yourself. If your roofer is handling the paperwork, you can sign a payment release so the rebate goes to the contractor, and it should then come off your price. Get that written into the estimate. If the rebate is paid to you, make sure the invoice shows the product and the square footage EPE needs.

Homes Cooled by a Swamp Cooler

The program page requires refrigerated central or mini-split air conditioning, so a home cooled only by an evaporative cooler does not qualify for the cool roof rebate. EPE runs a separate evaporative cooling rebate, listed at $600 for residential customers and $700 for income-qualified customers in Texas. If you have a rooftop cooler, read our guide to swamp cooler roof leaks before you coat around it.

Is a cool roof worth it without the rebate?

Often, yes, on the right roof. A white or reflective surface stays far cooler in strong sun than a dark one, which slows the heat moving into the house and the ageing of the membrane itself. The size of any energy saving depends on your insulation, ducts and cooling system, so treat any specific percentage claim with caution, including from salespeople.

The bigger question is whether to coat at all. A coating only works over a sound, dry roof. Our guide to whether to repair, recoat or replace a flat roof covers that decision, and the flat roofs and coatings page explains the systems. A free inspection with moisture readings tells you which you are looking at before the December 31 deadline.

Related Guides and Services

• Flat roofs and coatings in El Paso
• Repair, recoat or replace a flat roof
• Metal roofing in El Paso: steep-slope reflective finishes
• El Paso roof replacement cost
• Swamp cooler roof leaks

Cool Roof Rebate Questions