HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 9/6/2016 - Memorandum From Lance Smith Re: Platte River Power Authority Owner Cities Net Metering ProgramsUtilities
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700 Wood Street
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6700
970.221.6619 – fax
970.224.6003 – TDD
utilities@fcgov.com
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M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: August 23, 2016
TO: Mayor Troxell and Councilmembers
FROM: Lance Smith, Utilities Strategic Finance Director
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kevin R. Gertig, Utilities Executive Director
RE: Platte River Power Authority Owner Cities Net Metering Programs
This memo is in response to Mayor Troxell’s question at the August 15 Leadership Planning
Team meeting requesting further details on Platte River Power Authority (Platte River) owner
cities net metering programs; specifically, “…what are the net metering best practices used? Are
there a set of operating metrics that should be collected from all four municipalities to compare
best practices?”
All Platte River owner cities offer net metering. Attached is each cities respective tariff
detailing the application of net metering. Utilities staff recognized the following distinctions
associated with net metering, including City of Fort Collins, in comparing the four cities.
Common to Platte River Owner Cities:
Manage a monthly fixed charge, associated with interconnection
Manage an energy charge or charges associated with “credit” for solar energy
produced.
Recognized Differences with Platte River Owner Cities:
City of Estes net metering policy states they shall pay for the excess electricity generated
at avoided cost per kWh; the avoided kWh rate they are using is 2.1 cents. Appears the
credit is applied annually if a customer has a “banked” amount of kWh remaining, when
reconciled.
City of Longmont has a fixed charge for net metering customers that are twice the typical
residential customer.
City of Loveland pays back what appears to be wholesale cost (3.98 – 4.7 cents/ kWh).
City of Fort Collins offers a retail rate credit that is applied monthly to the utility bill.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
Net Metering Best Practices:
In reviewing national net metering best practices Colorado is ranked an “A” based on the
publication produced by Freeing the Grid titled “Best Practices in State Net Metering Policies
and Interconnection Procedures” published in November 2014.
Utilities staff will continue to explore best practices that recognize benefits net metering
customers create, not just whether they consume less kilowatt hours than the average customer in
their class. Examples of key analysis components consist of:
Individual System Capacity
Total Program Capacity Limits
Rollover Restrictions
Metering
Metering Time-of-Use
Renewable Energy Credit ownership
Eligible Technology
Eligible Customers
Aggregate Net Metering
Community Shared Renewables
Standby Charges, Misc. fees
Policy Coverage
Third Party Model
If you need further clarification on the Net Metering program please contact John Phelan at
jphelan@fcgov.com or call 416-2539. For questions on the Net Metering rate structures please
contact Lance Smith at lasmith@fcgov.com or 221-6524.
c: Lisa Rosintoski, Customer Connections Manager
Norm Weaver, Senior Energy Services Engineer
Pete Hoelscher, Platte River Power Authority
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
ESTES PARK
47 Residential --> 44 are solar, 3 are wind turbine
0 Commercial
Per Estes, We do not have a net rate. We just bank the KWH and apply it against usage.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
LONGMONT
104 Residential
4 Commercial
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
LOVELAND
37 Residential
3 Commercial
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876
DocuSign Envelope ID: 217A57DE-14BE-48A9-B70B-D4F64DF15876