Regulators deal a blow to Nev. rooftop solar industry
By Daniel Rothberg, Las Vegas Sun
With no discussion, state regulators this week voted unanimously to slash the value of credits rooftop solar customers earn for generating excess energy.
The three-member Public Utilities Commission adopted a proposed order that would reduce by 75 percent the amount NV Energy pays customers for excess power their solar panels produce and change the flat service rate for customers with solar panels. The changes in so-called net metering policies would phase in over four years, starting Jan. 1.Regulators deal a blow to rooftop solar industry
The PUC’s position in the order is that higher bills are being paid by nonsolar users to provide “hidden subsidies” for those with solar panels. The PUC said solar users in Southern Nevada have been getting an annual subsidy of about $623. The subsidy for solar users in Northern Nevada is about $471.
The PUC was right to do this. It also means that STPUD is very wrong to reduce monthly fee for water service and bill for water use. And STPUD is being dishonest in stating that the current rate structure is required by metering.
The result of STPUDs current rate structure is that locals who actually use water are subsidizing second homeowners who rarely use water…..but have the same access.
STPUD is a pipeline company.
NV Energy is a electric line company.
Moral, STPUD is in CA. The PUC in the article is in Nv.
Yes Lou, that is correct. I was referring to the economic reasoning…..
Dead right Moral. Prop 17 also states that public utility customers cannot charge more than their actual cost for their products. Charging in a tiered rate structure MUST be supported by the associated costs , not by multi- level punishment program for heavy users. Reverse engineering tiered use rates by STPUD only illustrates the need to subsidize bloated benefits and pay packages. It’s disgusting.
Specific to the article, rooftop solar customers in Nevada are generating power, fed back into the grid. Exactly how is that an unfair ‘subsidy’ ? They are being paid a wholesale rate for the electricity they produce. This is power industry pretzel logic.
Atomic it is the same principle. People end up reducing the cost they pay to less than it takes to maintain the electrical line hooked to their house. That means people without solar are subsidizing people with solar.
NV energy sells electrical transmission capacity as much as they are selling electricity.
Way to kill progress NV PUC.