By Herman K. Trabish | utilitydrive.com
Arizona’s Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) has asked the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to exempt it from paying retail rate remuneration under the state’s net energy metering (NEM) policy. The Sierra Vista Herald reports the co-op would like to reduce payments to solar customers for energy sent to its grid from systems installed after April 14, 2015.
Existing systems will continue to earn the NEM remuneration for 20 years under the proposal. SSVEC says it is losing $1 million year to the 2% of its 51,000 customer-members who have solar panels because as their use of solar causes their electricity usage to decrease, their payments for grid maintenance drop proportionately.
