NERA petition to FERC could 'end net metering as we know it'

[mblakele]

Secretive group's petition to FERC could 'end net metering as we know it,' lawyers say

A recent filing submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could "end net metering as we know it," according to legal experts.

The petition from the New England Ratepayers Association (NERA) asks FERC to "declare that there is exclusive federal jurisdiction over wholesale energy sales from generation sources located on the customer side of the retail meter." In other words, NERA makes the case that any behind-the-meter, or customer-sited, energy generation is a wholesale sale, subject to FERC jurisdiction.

The group's points echo some of the issues raised by utilities and their trade groups, which have long argued that forcing utilities to pay rooftop solar owners for the excess power they produce is unfair to ratepayers who don't site solar. But the fact that the issue is being raised by a non-profit regional ratepayers group is raising eyebrows for some.

Public Citizen has filed to intervene in the motion, hoping to force NERA to disclose its funders.

"NERA is likely backed by very powerful, well-funded interests, and they are extremely smart and aggressive about their strategies," Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen's Energy Program, told Utility Dive

[...]​

 

[Ampster]

Secretive group's petition to FERC could 'end net metering as we know it,' lawyers say

A recent filing submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could "end net metering as we know it," according to legal experts.

The petition from the New England Ratepayers Association (NERA) asks FERC to "declare that there is exclusive federal jurisdiction over wholesale energy sales from generation sources located on the customer side of the retail meter." In other words, NERA makes the case that any behind-the-meter, or customer-sited, energy generation is a wholesale sale, subject to FERC jurisdiction.

The group's points echo some of the issues raised by utilities and their trade groups, which have long argued that forcing utilities to pay rooftop solar owners for the excess power they produce is unfair to ratepayers who don't site solar. But the fact that the issue is being raised by a non-profit regional ratepayers group is raising eyebrows for some.

Public Citizen has filed to intervene in the motion, hoping to force NERA to disclose its funders.

"NERA is likely backed by very powerful, well-funded interests, and they are extremely smart and aggressive about their strategies," Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen's Energy Program, told Utility Dive

[...]​

 

[mblakele]

Related:

https://www.nrdc.org/experts/tom-rutigliano/fercs-power-grab

 

[TheTalkingMule]

That doesn't sound like something a 2021 administration would consider.

 

[Brando]

I vote for simple keep the old meter hook up. Cheaper meters track + or - Simple.
Of course utilities want to screw us when ever possible.

AND if you want to disconnect then they will make a law (many already have this law) you MUST connect to the grid.
Great to have so much freedom. Perhaps we could pay upper management just a livable wage? that must be a joke, right?

 

[Ampster]

AND if you want to disconnect then they will make a law (many already have this law) you MUST connect to the grid

That doesn't mean you have to use the grid. The result of no NEM in high rate areas could be a downward spiral of the revenues of those utilities as more people install solar and load shifting batteries. This is taking place in Hawaii.

 

[Brando]

That doesn't mean you have to use the grid. The result of no NEM in high rate areas could be a downward spiral of the revenues of those utilities as more people install solar and load shifting batteries. This is taking place in Hawaii.

I have observed that the electricity suppliers charges you more
1- increase the rate (cost/kilowatt)
2- higher rates during higher demand (this helps flatten the curve & keep peak demands down - a fine goal)
3- increase the monthly connection fee (what you pay even when you do NOT use any kilowatts).

You have to pay attention. Even go to your town hall meetings once in a while.

 

[Ampster]

You have to pay attention. Even go to your town hall meetings once in a while.

I agree.

Self consumption solves only two of the three issues you raise. Self consumption is also expensive and out of reach of the majority of the population. The third issue you mention, that of a fixed fee, is starting to emerge in California. My goal is to self consume but with TOU rate differentials being what they are I am actually a net consumer but end up with a dollar credit. I do not mind paying a reasonable fixed fee to use the grid as a battery. I also have a battery backed hybrid inverter to help with load shifting but it is less expensive to use the grid as a battery to charge my Teslas. I would even pay more of a fixed fee if my utility would implement some form of DER where they would compensate me for putting load on the grid during the belly of the duck curve. Tesla is doing some form of that kind of load aggregation in Vermont and Australia with Powerwalls.