HB0195 - Net metering-renewable energy systems.

 

2001

State of Wyoming

01LSO‑0467.E1

ENGROSSED

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL NO.  HB0195

 

 

Net metering-renewable energy systems.

 

Sponsored by:

 

 

A BILL

 

for

 

 1  AN ACT relating to net metering programs; requiring an
 2  electric utility to utilize a net metering program;
 3  determining appropriate billing amounts; and providing for
 4  an effective date.

 5 

 6  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

 7 

 8         Section 1.  W.S. 37-16-101 through 37-16-104 are
 9  created to read:

10 

11         37-16-101.  Definitions.

12 

13         (a)  As used in this article unless the context
14  otherwise requires:

15 

 

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 1              (i)  "Commission" means public service commission
 2  of Wyoming;

 3 

 4              (ii)  "Customer-generator" means a user of a net
 5  metering system;

 6 

 7              (iii)  "Electrical company" means any person,
 8  corporation or governmental subdivision, excluding
 9  municipalities, authorized and operating under the
10  constitution and laws of the state of Wyoming which is
11  primarily engaged in the generation or sale of electric
12  energy;

13 

14              (iv)  "Electric cooperative" means any nonprofit,
15  member-owned cooperative organized under the laws of the
16  state of Wyoming and engaged in the business of
17  distributing electric energy in the state of Wyoming;

18 

19              (v)  "Electric utility" means any electrical
20  company, irrigation district or electric cooperative that
21  is engaged in the business of distributing electricity to
22  retail electric customers in the state;

23 

 

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 1              (vi)  "Irrigation district" means an irrigation
 2  district under W.S. 41-7-201;

 3 

 4              (vii)  "Net metering" means measuring the
 5  difference between the electricity supplied by an electric
 6  utility and the electricity generated by a
 7  customer-generator that is fed back to the electric utility
 8  over the applicable billing period;

 9 

10              (viii)  "Net metering system" means a facility
11  for the production of electrical energy that:

12 

13                   (A)  Uses as its fuel either solar, wind or
14  hydropower;

15 

16                   (B)  Has a generating capacity of not more
17  than twenty-five (25) kilowatts;

18 

19                   (C)  Is located on the customer-generator's
20  premises;

21 

22                   (D)  Operates in parallel with the electric
23  utility's transmission and distribution facilities; and

24 

 

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 1                   (E)  Is intended primarily to offset part or
 2  all of the customer-generator's requirements for
 3  electricity.

 4 

 5         (b)  A person acting as a customer-generator under
 6  this act shall not be considered a "public utility" as
 7  defined by W.S. 37-1-101.

 8 

 9         37-16-102.  Electric utility requirements.

10 

11         (a)  An electric utility:

12 

13              (i)  Shall offer to make available to each of its
14  eligible customer-generators that has installed a net
15  metering system an energy meter that is capable of
16  registering the flow of electricity in two (2) directions;

17 

18              (ii)  May, at its own expense and with the
19  written consent of the customer-generator, install one (1)
20  or more additional meters to monitor the flow of
21  electricity in each direction;

22 

23              (iii)  Shall not charge a customer-generator any
24  fee or charge  that would increase the customer-generator's

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 1  minimum monthly charge to an amount greater than that of
 2  other customers of the electric utility in the same rate
 3  class as the customer-generator.

 4 

 5         37-16-103.  Calculation requirements.

 6 

 7         (a)  Consistent with other provisions of this chapter,
 8  the net energy measurement shall be calculated in the
 9  following manner:

10 

11              (i)  The electric utility shall measure the net
12  electricity produced or consumed during the billing period,
13  in accordance with normal metering practices;

14 

15              (ii)  If the electricity supplied by the electric
16  utility exceeds the electricity generated by the customer
17  generator, the customer-generator shall be billed for the
18  appropriate customer charges for that month, in accordance
19  with W.S. 37-16-102;

20 

21              (iii)  If the electricity supplied by the
22  customer-generator exceeds that supplied by the electric
23  utility, the customer-generator shall be credited for the
24  excess kilowatt-hours generated during the month with the

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 1  kilowatt-hour credit appearing on the bill for the
 2  following month.

 3 

 4         (b)  At the beginning of each calendar year, any
 5  remaining unused kilowatt-hour credit accumulated during
 6  the previous year shall be sold to the electric utility, at
 7  the electric utility's filed nonfirm avoided cost.

 8 

 9         37-16-104.  Safety and performance requirements.

10 

11         (a)  A net metering system used by a
12  customer-generator shall meet all applicable safety and
13  performance standards established by the national
14  electrical code, the institute of electrical and
15  electronics engineers and underwriters laboratories.

16 

17         (b)  The customer-generator shall at its expense
18  provide lockable, switching equipment capable of isolating
19  the net metering facility from the electric utility's
20  system. Such equipment shall be approved by the electric
21  utility and shall be accessible by the electric utility at
22  all times.

23 

 

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 1         (c)  The electric utility shall not be liable directly
 2  or indirectly for permitting or continuing to allow an
 3  attachment of a net metering facility, or for acts or
 4  omissions of the customer-generator that cause loss or
 5  injury, including death, to any third party.

 6 

 7         (d)  The customer-generator is responsible for all
 8  costs associated with its facility and is also responsible
 9  for all costs related to any modifications to the facility
10  that may be required by the electric utility for purposes
11  of safety and reliability.

12 

13         (e)  The commission, after appropriate notice and
14  opportunity for comment, may adopt by regulation additional
15  control and testing requirements for customer-generators
16  that the commission determines are necessary to protect
17  public safety and system reliability.

18 

19         Section 2.  This act is effective July 1, 2001.

20 

21                         (END)

 

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