Description
The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) offers retail electric service to 80 communities throughout Nebraska, totaling approximately 88,000 customers. Effective September 1, 2008, the utility is offering net metering to generating facilities of 25 kW or less that are certified as qualifying facilities (QFs) under the federal Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). The definition of QF generally includes most renewable-energy technologies, as well as combined-heat-and-power (CHP) systems. The net metering rate schedule will remain available until aggregate net-metered capacity reaches 1% of the utility’s annual retail peak demand.
Under the tariff, net metering is available to retail electric customers of NPPD through a single bi-directional meter. Systems must be designed to supply all or a portion of the customer’s electrical load. Net excess generation (NEG) produced during a billing period is carried forward as a monetary credit on the customer-generator’s next bill. The customer-generator is paid for accumulated NEG credits at the end of the calendar year. The amount of the monetary credit is determined by the purchase rate schedule below.
In this schedule, summer refers to the period beginning June 1 and ending September 30, while winter comprises the remainder of the year. The “baseload” rates apply to all technologies other than PV and wind. Customers are billed for non-energy charges (i.e., the customer charge for NPPD) according to applicable standard rate schedule, and NEG credits may not be used to offset non-energy charges. The customer maintains ownership of the renewable energy credits (RECs) or other environmental attributes produced by the system.
Proof of QF certification from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is required prior to taking service under the net metering tariff. In addition, all net-metered facilities must comply with the NPPD’s technical interconnection standards for distributed generation facilities. NPPD’s interconnection standards generally embrace the technical criteria of the IEEE 1547 technical standard. The customer is responsible for expenses associated with interconnecting the system to the grid, including the replacement of an electric meter not capable of measuring the flow of electricity in two directions.
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