On Sept. 17, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) approved a proposal by Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power that shifts to 15-minute netting for solar owners and adds mandatory demand charges to all customers. According to Vote Solar, the approved order failed to include recommendations from solar industry and advocacy organizations that would have preserved fair net metering, reject unfair demand charges and expand programs for low-income households.
Solar advocates say the accepted utilities proposal directly undermines Senate Bill 405, a bill enacted in 2017 that protects the rights of solar customers and the value of the credits for exported energy. In the proposal, the utilities asked to change the net-metering period from a monthly time period to 15 minutes and to apply a mandatory daily demand charge for all residential and small general service customers. Instead of balancing solar production against usage over a full month, customers will now only get credit for excess energy within each 15-minute window, according to Solar United Neighbors.
“Approving demand charges and 15-minute netting runs counter to the intent of SB-405 and threatens the affordability and fairness of rooftop solar,” said Chauntille Roberts, Vote Solar’s Regional Director for the Interior West. “We are deeply concerned about the impact this will have on families, and we are weighing all options to defend the rights of Nevada customers.”
News item from Vote Solar
