D.C. Intends to Adopt Net Metering Rules, Again
On February 26 the D.C. PSC published its intent to adopt amendments to its net metering and interconnection procedures in compliance with the District’s “Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008.” This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) was published in the February 26 D.C. Register and replaces the prior NOPR for the proposed rules, published…
On February 26 the D.C. PSC published its intent to adopt amendments to its net metering and interconnection procedures in compliance with the District’s “Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008.” This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) was published in the February 26 D.C. Register and replaces the prior NOPR for the proposed rules, published on October 2, 2009.
This rule applies to utility customers with onsite renewable resources, cogeneration, fuel cells, and microturbines. There is no limit to the number of participants that can opt for net metering.
The predominant change in the rules allows systems up to one MW to become eligible for net metering (previously the limit was 100 kW). In respect to how net excess generation is carried over, these unusally convoluted rules differ slightly for customers of competitive electricity suppliers and those of standard offer service providers. In essence though, for systems up to 100 kW, excess kWh generation during a billing period will be expressed as a dollar value, for the full retail distribution rate, on the customer-generator’s next bill. For customers with systems between 100 kW and one MW, this rollover credit does not include any distribution-related credit (in other words, it rolls over at around the avoided cost rate, rather than the retail rate). These bill credits carry forward indefinitely, until they are used by the customer.
For more information, see D.C. PSC Formal Case No. 945. Comments are due within 30 days after the 2/26 publication in the D.C. Register.
