Idaho Power is holding a virtual meeting on May 2 so the public can weigh in on plans to change how people with rooftop solar panels are paid for extra energy they produce.
“We’re going to have company staff, so Idaho Power staff, present during this workshop some of the possible methods for evaluating the export credit rate—export credit rate being the amount that customers are credited for excess energy that they send back to the grid," said Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Power’s corporate communications specialist.
A few years ago, the utility proposed rate changes that would've cut the amount customers receive for extra kilowatt-hours of energy produced by solar panels.
The state’s public utility commission rejected that plan in 2019 because it said the process didn’t include enough public participation. It also grandfathered in the rates for customers that had been selling solar power back to the grid before the ruling.
Now Idaho Power is conducting a study for the commission to assess the costs and benefits of net metering — when customers produce extra energy using their own solar panels — going into the future. The company maintains those users aren’t currently paying their fair share of the utility’s maintenance and distribution costs. It plans to wrap the study up this year.
To participate in the meeting, visit idahopower.webex.com at 6 p.m. and enter meeting number 2592 303 2170 when prompted. At the next window, enter your name, e-mail address and this password: VODER22. To participate over the phone, dial 1-650-479-3208 and enter meeting number 2592 303 2170 when prompted.
Idaho Power will accept written comments for two weeks after the workshop. To submit comments, send emails to cgworkshop@idahopower.com.
Find reporter Rachel Cohen on Twitter @racheld_cohen
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