The Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) adopted Chapter 313, Customer Net Energy Billing, setting the requirements and standards for customers to net generation from an eligible facility against their consumption.
What are Net Energy and Net Energy Billing?
"Net energy" is the difference between the kilowatt-hours consumed by a customer or shared ownership customers and the kilowatt-hours generated by the customer's or shared ownership customers' eligible facility over a billing period.
"Net energy billing" is a billing and metering practice under which a customer or shared ownership customers are billed on the basis of net energy over the billing period taking into account accumulated unused kilowatt-hour credits from the previous billing period.
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What Customers Qualify?
Any customer of a transmission and distribution utility that owns or has the legal rights to energy generated using a renewable fuel or technology as specified in 35-A M.R.S.A. § 3210(2)(C) or is a micro-combined heat and power system, from a facility with an installed capacity of 660 kW or less to serve its own electricity requirements may elect net energy billing for up to 10 "Shared Ownership" locations in the Bangor Hydro Electric territory. (See MPUC Ch.313 and MPUC Ch. 324 for eligibility requirements)
What Fuels/Technologies Qualify?
How does Net Energy Billing Work?
A customer may accumulate unused kilowatt-hour credits and apply them against kilowatt-hour usage on a rolling 12-month basis. At the end of each 12-month period, any accumulated unused kilowatt-hour credits shall be eliminated and may not be applied against any future kilowatt-hour usage. The customer will receive no compensation for unused kilowatt-hour credits.
Does Net Energy Billing Apply to Generation?
A customer that has elected net energy billing may obtain generation service from any competitive electricity provider that agrees to provide service on a net energy basis. If the customer obtains service from the standard offer, the standard offer provider shall provide service on a net energy basis.
How Do I Get Started?
A customer must follow the procedures explained in the MPUC Chapter 324, Small Generator Interconnection Procedures and should become familiar the MPUC's Chapter 313, Net Energy Billing. Please see the Interconnection page.
