(A) The city encourages interested citizens and businesses to invest in renewable electric generation systems and enter into a net metering arrangement with the municipal electric utility of the city.
(B) Eligible net metering customers include residential, commercial and industrial customers in good standing that own and operate a solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, or hydroelectric generating facility that: (1) has a nameplate capacity less than or equal to 10 kilowatts; (2) is located on the customer's premises and is operated by the customer; and (3) is used primarily to offset all or part of the customer's own electric requirements.
(C) The Council authorizes the utility to offer net metering to eligible net metering customers on a first come, first served basis. The utility shall limit the aggregate amount of net metering facility nameplate capacity from all eligible net metering customers to 1/10 of 1% of the utility's most recent summer peak load.
(D) The utility shall measure the difference between the amount of energy delivered by the utility to the eligible net metering customer and the amount of energy generated by the eligible net metering customer and delivered to the utility. If the eligible net metering customer generates more energy than it consumes in a month, the customer shall receive a bill credit from the utility for the amount of surplus energy generated. The utility shall not purchase or wheel power produced by an eligible net metering customer's facilities.
(E) Net metering tariff terms and conditions.
(1) Availability. Net metering is provided upon request and on a first-come, first-served basis. Net metering is available to single phase customers in good standing that own and operate a renewable generation source (such as solar or wind). The name plate rating of customer’s generator must not exceed 10 kW. Customers served under this tariff must also take service from the utility under the otherwise applicable standard service tariff.
(2) Definition. NET METERING means measuring the difference in an applicable billing period between the amount of electricity supplied by utility to customer who generates electricity using an eligible renewable generation source and the amount of electricity generated by such respective customer that is delivered to utility.
(3) Rate.
Customer charge: $50 per meter per month.
(4) Billing. The measurement of net energy supplied by utility and delivered to utility shall be calculated in the following manner: utility shall measure the difference between the amount of electricity delivered by utility to customer and the amount of electricity generated by the customer and delivered to utility during the billing period, in accordance with normal metering practices. If the kWh delivered by utility to the customer exceeds the kWh delivered by the customer to utility during the billing period, the customer shall be billed for the kWh difference. If the kWh generated by the customer and delivered to utility exceeds the kWh supplied by the utility to customer during the billing period, the customer shall be credited in the next billing cycle for the kWh difference. When customer elects to discontinue net metering service, any unused credit will be granted to utility. The utility shall not purchase or wheel power produced by net metering facilities. Energy charges will be in accordance with the lowest energy charge in the standard tariff that would apply if the customer did not participate in net metering under this tariff and any applicable energy cost adjustment, tracker or other riders applicable to the standard tariff.
(5) Metering. The customer’s standard meter, if capable of measuring electricity in both directions will be used. If utility determines new metering is necessary, the utility will install metering capable of net metering at the customer’s expense. Additionally, the utility reserves the right to install, at its own expense, a meter to measure the output of the renewable generation system.
(6) Other terms and conditions. In order to be eligible for net metering, the customer’s generator must meet the following requirements:
(a) All kWh must be generated from the output of solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, or other renewable generation sources;
(b) The generation equipment must be operated by the customer and located on the customer’s premises;
(c) The generator must operate in parallel with the utility’s transmission and distribution facilities without adversely affecting the utility’s system and equipment and without presenting safety hazards or threats to the reliability of service to the utility, its personnel and other customers. The customer is required to sign the interconnection agreement to safeguard utility employees;
(d) The customer’s generation must be intended primarily to offset all or part of the customer’s requirements for electricity;
(e) The name plate rating of customer’s generator must not exceed 10 kW and the customer’s generation must satisfy the Interconnection requirements specified below.
(f) Customer shall submit an application for interconnection service including a $100 application fee and will execute an interconnection agreement acceptable to the utility.
(g) Customer shall maintain homeowners, commercial or other insurance providing coverage in the amount of at least $100,000 for the liability of the insured against loss arising out of the use of generation equipment associated with net metering under this tariff.
(h) The supplying of, and billing for, service and all conditions applying thereto, are subject to the utility’s general terms and conditions.
(F) In accordance with the terms of the net metering tariff terms and conditions in division (E) of this section, the utility shall enter into an interconnection agreement with the eligible net metering customer, which incorporates technical interconnection requirements and requires the customer’s existing system conform with the requirements before the net metering facility may be interconnected with the utility’s system.
(G) It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to connect or maintain the connection of a renewable generating facility to the utility’s system without first executing an interconnection agreement with the utility. Any person or entity found to be in violation of this section shall be fined not less than $300, nor more than $1,000 for each such violation, plus costs. In addition to the foregoing fines and at the utility’s sole discretion, the property where a renewable generating facility is unlawfully connected to the utility’s system may be disconnected from the utility’s system until an interconnection agreement is executed between the owner of such property and the utility. Every day that a violation of this section occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ord. 10-2009, passed 11-2-09; Am. Ord. 13-2015, passed 9-21-15)