AVAILABILITY
This service is available on a first-come, first-served basis to any Customer that owns and operates a solar, wind, fuel cell, or hydroelectric generating facility with a capacity of not more than twenty-five (25) kilowatts that is located on the Customer’s premises, is interconnected and operates in parallel with the Cooperative’s existing transmission and distribution system facilities, and is intended primarily to offset part or all of the Customer’s own electrical requirements. This provision shall be available until the time that the total rated generating capacity used by the eligible customer-generators equals 167 kilowatts. This schedule is offered in compliance with ORS 757.262, as amended by HB 3219, July, 1999.
DEFINITIONS
Net Metering: “Net metering” is the measurement of the difference between the electricity supplied to an eligible Customer by the Cooperative and the electricity (1) generated by an eligible Customer’s net metering facility and (2) fed back to the Cooperative over the applicable billing period.
Avoided Cost: “Avoided cost” is the cost for wholesale electric power purchased by the Cooperative. This cost is typically based on separate capacity charges and energy charges. These charges vary over time (e.g., daytime vs. nighttime, summer season vs. winter season) in order to reflect differing wholesale market conditions. Excess energy generated by facilities can offset or displace a portion of these wholesale electric power purchases. Consequently, the value of excess energy from a facility is the calculated cost of equivalent wholesale electric power purchases that were offset or displaced (i.e., avoided).
MONTHLY BILLING
The Monthly Customer Charge shall be computed in accordance with the applicable standard rate schedule.
Special Conditions:
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- In a given billing cycle, if the energy supplied to the Cooperative is less than the energy purchased from the Cooperative, the customer shall be billed for the appropriate monthly basic charge and the prices specified in the Energy Charges section of Residential Rate Schedule 1 shall be applied to the positive balance owed to the Cooperative.
- In a given billing cycle, if the energy supplied to the Cooperative is greater than the energy consumed from the Cooperative, the Customer shall be billed for the appropriate monthly basic charge and shall be credited for such net energy at the prices specified in the Energy Charges section of Residential Rate Schedule 1.
- At the annual true-up, at the end of the customer’s April billing cycle, any remaining unused credit from any excess generation shall be valued at the avoided cost, and at the customer-generator’s election, be returned to the customer-generator or granted to the Cooperative’s low-income energy assistance program.
- The customer-generator is responsible for all costs associated with its facility and is also responsible for costs related to any modifications to the facility that may be required by the Cooperative for purposes of safety, reliability, and reading meters except the cost of the actual meter(s). The customer-generator is not allowed to supply their own meter(s).
- Net Metering facility installations shall comply with the applicable standards established by the National Electric Code, the National Electric Safety Code, and shall meet all applicable safety and performance standards established in the Oregon State Building Code.
- Cooperative approved switching equipment capable of isolating the net metering facility for the Cooperative’s system shall be provided by the customer-generator and shall be accessible to the Cooperative at all times and secured by a Cooperative owned padlock. The Cooperative shall also have the right, with or without notice, to (1) inspect the net-metering facility annually and (2) disconnect the net-metering facility from the cooperative’s system if there is a valid concern about system reliability or system performance. The Cooperative’s inspection fee is $35 per inspection. Once operational, the Cooperative’s and OR-OSHA’s Lockout, Tag-out procedures must be followed.
- The Cooperative shall also have the right to adopt future IEEE standards or other future standards that the Cooperative deems necessary to ensure system reliability and performance and maintain safety.
- The Cooperative shall not be liable directly or indirectly for permitting or continuing to allow an attachment of a net metering facility, or for the acts or omissions of the customer-generator that cause loss or injury, including death, to any third party.
- Customers are required to sign a net metering agreement before receiving net-metering service.
- Any electric energy generated by the net metering facility that is surplus to the simultaneous electrical usage of the Customer is termed “excess energy”. This electric energy then flows into the Cooperative’s system and displaces wholesale electric power purchases. The Cooperative acquires ownership of the excess energy and all renewable attributes associated with it, including Renewable Energy Credits or RECs.
CONTINUING SERVICE
This Schedule is based on continuing service at each service location. Disconnect and reconnect transactions shall not operate to relieve a Customer from monthly minimum charges.
RULES AND REGULATONS
Service under this Schedule is subject to the rules and policies of Douglas Electric Cooperative.