SHB 1140 -
By Committee on Water, Energy & Telecommunications
NOT ADOPTED 04/12/2007
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 80.60.010 and 2006 c 201 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) "Commission" means the utilities and transportation commission.
(2) "Customer-generator" means a user of a net metering system.
(3) "Electrical company" means a company owned by investors that
meets the definition of RCW 80.04.010.
(4) "Electric cooperative" means a cooperative or association
organized under chapter 23.86 or 24.06 RCW.
(5) "Electric utility" means any electrical company, public utility
district, irrigation district, port district, electric cooperative, or
municipal electric utility that is engaged in the business of
distributing electricity to retail electric customers in the state.
(6) "Irrigation district" means an irrigation district under
chapter 87.03 RCW.
(7) "Meter aggregation" means the administrative combination of
readings from and billing for all meters, regardless of the rate class,
on premises owned or leased by a customer-generator located within the
service territory of a single electric utility.
(8) "Municipal electric utility" means a city or town that owns or
operates an electric utility authorized by chapter 35.92 RCW.
(((8))) (9) "Net metering" means measuring the difference between
the electricity supplied by an electric utility and the electricity
generated by a customer-generator over the applicable billing period.
(((9))) (10) "Net metering system" means a fuel cell, a facility
that produces electricity and used and useful thermal energy from a
common fuel source, or a facility for the production of electrical
energy that generates renewable energy, and that:
(a) Has an electrical generating capacity of not more than one
hundred kilowatts;
(b) Is located on the customer-generator's premises;
(c) Operates in parallel with the electric utility's transmission
and distribution facilities; and
(d) Is intended primarily to offset part or all of the customer-generator's requirements for electricity.
(((10))) (11) "Premises" means any residential property, commercial
real estate, or lands, owned or leased by a customer-generator within
the service area of a single electric utility.
(12) "Port district" means a port district within which an
industrial development district has been established as authorized by
Title 53 RCW.
(((11))) (13) "Public utility district" means a district authorized
by chapter 54.04 RCW.
(((12))) (14) "Renewable energy" means energy generated by a
facility that uses water, wind, solar energy, or biogas from animal
waste as a fuel.
Sec. 2 RCW 80.60.020 and 2006 c 201 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) An electric utility:
(((1))) (a) Shall offer to make net metering available to eligible
customers-generators on a first-come, first-served basis until the
cumulative generating capacity of net metering systems equals 0.25
percent of the utility's peak demand during 1996. On January 1, 2014,
the cumulative generating capacity available to net metering systems
will equal 0.5 percent of the utility's peak demand during 1996. Not
less than one-half of the utility's 1996 peak demand available for net
metering systems shall be reserved for the cumulative generating
capacity attributable to net metering systems that generate renewable
energy;
(((2))) (b) Shall allow net metering systems to be interconnected
using a standard kilowatt-hour meter capable of registering the flow of
electricity in two directions, unless the commission, in the case of an
electrical company, or the appropriate governing body, in the case of
other electric utilities, determines, after appropriate notice and
opportunity for comment:
(((a))) (i) That the use of additional metering equipment to
monitor the flow of electricity in each direction is necessary and
appropriate for the interconnection of net metering systems, after
taking into account the benefits and costs of purchasing and installing
additional metering equipment; and
(((b))) (ii) How the cost of purchasing and installing an
additional meter is to be allocated between the customer-generator and
the utility;
(((3))) (c) Shall charge the customer-generator a minimum monthly
fee that is the same as other customers of the electric utility in the
same rate class, but shall not charge the customer-generator any
additional standby, capacity, interconnection, or other fee or charge
unless the commission, in the case of an electrical company, or the
appropriate governing body, in the case of other electric utilities,
determines, after appropriate notice and opportunity for comment that:
(((a))) (i) The electric utility will incur direct costs associated
with interconnecting or administering net metering systems that exceed
any offsetting benefits associated with these systems; and
(((b))) (ii) Public policy is best served by imposing these costs
on the customer-generator rather than allocating these costs among the
utility's entire customer base.
(2) If a production meter and software is required by the electric
utility to provide meter aggregation under RCW 80.60.030(4), the
customer-generator is responsible for the purchase of the production
meter and software.
Sec. 3 RCW 80.60.030 and 2006 c 201 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
Consistent with the other provisions of this chapter, the net
energy measurement must be calculated in the following manner:
(1) The electric utility shall measure the net electricity produced
or consumed during the billing period, in accordance with normal
metering practices.
(2) If the electricity supplied by the electric utility exceeds the
electricity generated by the customer-generator and fed back to the
electric utility during the billing period, the customer-generator
shall be billed for the net electricity supplied by the electric
utility, in accordance with normal metering practices.
(3) If electricity generated by the customer-generator exceeds the
electricity supplied by the electric utility, the customer-generator:
(a) Shall be billed for the appropriate customer charges for that
billing period, in accordance with RCW 80.60.020; and
(b) Shall be credited for the excess kilowatt-hours generated
during the billing period, with this kilowatt-hour credit appearing on
the bill for the following billing period.
(4) If a customer-generator requests, an electric utility shall
provide meter aggregation.
(a) For customer-generators participating in meter aggregation,
kilowatt-hours credits earned by a net metering system during the
billing period first shall be used to offset electricity supplied by
the electric utility.
(b) Excess kilowatt-hours credits earned by the net metering
system, during the same billing period, shall be credited equally by
the electric utility to remaining meters located on all premises of a
customer-generator at the designated rate of each meter.
(c) Meters so aggregated shall not change rate classes due to meter
aggregation under this section.
(5) On April 30th of each calendar year, any remaining unused
kilowatt-hour credit accumulated during the previous year shall be
granted to the electric utility, without any compensation to the
customer-generator."
SHB 1140 -
By Committee on Water, Energy & Telecommunications
NOT ADOPTED 04/12/2007
On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "electricity;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and amending RCW 80.60.010, 80.60.020, and 80.60.030."
EFFECT: Replaces the term "generated" with "credits" to make
consistent with language in existing RCW.
Clarifies that aggregating meters does not change the underlaying
rate class of that meter.