2017 -- S 0880

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LC002637

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - NET METERING

     

     Introduced By: Senators Coyne, Sosnowski, Conley, Archambault, and Miller

     Date Introduced: May 11, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Commerce

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-26.4-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-26.4 entitled "Net

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Metering" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-26.4-3. Net metering.

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     (a) The following policies regarding net metering of electricity from eligible net-metering

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systems and community remote-net-metering systems and regarding any person that is a

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renewable self-generator shall apply:

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     (1) (i) The maximum, allowable capacity for eligible net-metering systems, based on

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nameplate capacity, shall be ten megawatts (10 MW), effective sixty (60) days after passage. The

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aggregate amount of net metering in the Block Island Power Company and the Pascoag Utility

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District shall not exceed three percent (3%) of peak load for each utility district; and

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     (ii) Through December 31, 2018, the maximum, aggregate amount of community remote-

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net-metering systems built shall be thirty megawatts (30 MW). Any of the unused MW amount

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after December 31, 2018, shall remain available to community remote-net-metering systems until

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the MW aggregate amount is interconnected. After December 31, 2018, the commission may

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expand or modify the aggregate amount after a public hearing upon petition by the office of

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energy resources. The commission shall determine within six (6) months of such petition being

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docketed by the commission whether the benefits of the proposed expansion exceed the cost. This

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aggregate amount shall not apply to public entity facilities or multi-municipal collaborative

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facilities. By June 30, 2019, the commission shall conduct a study examining the cost and benefit

 

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to all customers of the inclusion of the distribution charge as a part of the net-metering

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calculation.

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     (2) For ease of administering net-metered accounts and stabilizing net-metered account

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bills, the electric-distribution company may elect (but is not required) to estimate for any twelve-

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month (12) period:

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     (i) The production from the eligible net-metering system or community remote-net-

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metering system; and

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     (ii) Aggregate consumption of the net-metered accounts at the eligible net-metering-

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system site or the sum of the consumption of the eligible credit-recipient accounts associated with

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the community remote-net-metering system, and establish a monthly billing plan that reflects the

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expected credits that would be applied to the net-metered accounts over twelve (12) months. The

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billing plan would be designed to even out monthly billings over twelve (12) months, regardless

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of actual production and usage. If such election is made by the electric-distribution company, the

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electric-distribution company would reconcile payments and credits under the billing plan to

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actual production and consumption at the end of the twelve-month (12) period and apply any

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credits or charges to the net-metered accounts for any positive or negative difference, as

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applicable. Should there be a material change in circumstances at the eligible net-metering system

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site or associated accounts during the twelve-month (12) period, the estimates and credits may be

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adjusted by the electric-distribution company during the reconciliation period. The electric-

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distribution company also may elect (but is not required) to issue checks to any net-metering

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customer in lieu of billing credits or carry-forward credits or charges to the next billing period.

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For residential-eligible net-metering systems and community-remote-net-metering systems

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twenty-five kilowatts (25 kw) or smaller, the electric-distribution company, at its option, may

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administer renewable net-metering credits month to month allowing unused credits to carry

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forward into the following billing period.

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     (3) If the electricity generated by an eligible net-metering system or community remote-

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net-metering system during a billing period is equal to, or less than, the net-metering customer's

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usage at the eligible net-metering-system site or the sum of the usage of the eligible credit-

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recipient accounts associated with the community remote-net-metering system during the billing

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period, the customer shall receive renewable net-metering credits, that shall be applied to offset

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the net-metering customer's usage on accounts at the eligible net-metering-system site, or shall be

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used to credit the eligible credit-recipient's electric account.

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     (4) If the electricity generated by an eligible net-metering system or community remote-

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net-metering system during a billing period is greater than the net-metering customer's usage on

 

LC002637 - Page 2 of 4

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accounts at the eligible net-metering-system site or the sum of the usage of the eligible credit-

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recipient accounts associated with the community remote-net-metering system during the billing

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period, the customer shall be paid by excess renewable net-metering credits for the excess

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electricity generated up to an additional twenty-five percent (25%) beyond the net-metering

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customer's usage at the eligible net-metering-system site, or the sum of the usage of the eligible

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credit-recipient accounts associated with the community remote net-metering system during the

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billing period; unless the electric-distribution company and net-metering customer have agreed to

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a billing plan pursuant to subdivision (2).

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     (5) The rates applicable to any net-metered account shall be the same as those that apply

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to the rate classification that would be applicable to such account in the absence of net-metering,

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including customer and demand charges, and no other charges may be imposed to offset net-

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metering credits.

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     (b) The commission shall exempt electric-distribution company customer accounts

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associated with an eligible, net-metering system from back-up or standby rates commensurate

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with the size of the eligible net-metering system, provided that any revenue shortfall caused by

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any such exemption shall be fully recovered by the electric-distribution company through rates.

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     (c) Any prudent and reasonable costs incurred by the electric-distribution company

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pursuant to achieving compliance with subsection (a) and the annual amount of any renewable

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net-metering credits or excess, renewable net-metering credits provided to accounts associated

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with eligible net-metering systems or community remote-net-metering systems, shall be

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aggregated by the distribution company and billed to all distribution customers on an annual basis

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through a uniform, per-kilowatt-hour (kwh) surcharge embedded in the distribution component of

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the rates reflected on customer bills.

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     (d) The billing process set out in this section shall be applicable to electric-distribution

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companies thirty (30) days after the enactment of this chapter.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - NET METERING

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     This act would include the benefit to all customers in the public utility commission's

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study examining the cost of the inclusion of the distribution charge as part of the net metering

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calculation.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC002637

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