Rocky Mountain Power files onsite generation study

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has asked Rocky Mountain Power to conduct an onsite generation study as part of Case No. PAC-E-19-08, a 2019 case that concerned customer generation.

Rocky Mountain Power has filed the study to evaluate methods, inputs and assumptions for valuing power that is generated by the customer and exported to the grid.

The purpose of this study is not to propose a specific export credit rate at this time but to initiate a review and obtain feedback on potential considerations for valuing an export credit rate.

The study provides information that the commission, Rocky Mountain Power and other stakeholders will use to determine whether changes should be made to Rocky Mountain Power’s existing rate schedules for customers who choose to generate some of their own energy. Rocky Mountain Power, in its application which opens Case No. PAC-E-23-17, is requesting the commission acknowledge the study as fulfilling the obligations of Order No. 34753 from the 2019 case.

The study scope that was defined in commission’s order includes several elements. Some highlights of the study:

• The study gives a snapshot of Rocky Mountain Power’s approximately 2,200 on-site customer generation customers in Idaho.
• The different components of the export credit rate, which is how customers are compensated (in the form of a bill credit) for excess energy they send back to Rocky Mountain Power’s grid, are evaluated. The components include, but are not limited to, the avoided energy value, avoided capacity value and avoided transmission and distribution costs.
• The effects of netting imports to the grid for different time periods — monthly, hourly, and instantaneously — are analyzed to show the company impact for each scenario.
• Additional factors were also considered, such as expiration time periods for bill credits and the frequency of updates to the export credit rate.

Rocky Mountain Power has submitted its application to the Idaho commission with the goal of keeping customers and the public well informed of any potential changes to customer generation policies. Next, the commission will set a schedule to process the case. Interested stakeholders will have an opportunity to submit public comments on the study. Rocky Mountain Power has proposed a schedule that will allow for the company to provide a workshop on the proposed study and for commission staff to hold a public workshop.

The Idaho commission will be accepting comment from customers on the study. To view the study and supporting data, visit rockymountainpower.net/idahostudy or puc.idaho.gov and search for Case No. PAC-E-23-17. To provide feedback to the commission regarding the study, customers can file written comments with the commission at puc.idaho.gov/Form/CaseComment (refer to Case No. PAC-E-23-17) or customers can mail written comments to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720.  Also, customers can subscribe to the commission’s RSS feed to receive periodic updates via email about the case.

After the study review phase is complete, the company expects to request any changes to its net billing program after the end of the year in a separate implementation case which would also provide an opportunity for customers, the public and other stakeholders to comment on any changes to the export credit rate.

In 2020 the Idaho commission granted legacy (or grandfathered) status to eligible meters. The commission has determined that the legacy status runs with the meter site, not the customer. If a system is offline for more than six months, or is moved to another site, the legacy status of the system is forfeited. The customer may increase the capacity of the legacy system by no more than 10% of the originally installed nameplate capacity, or one kilowatt, whichever is greater. The term of the legacy period is 25 years. Customers who do not have legacy systems are subject to changes to the onsite generation compensation structure, including the value of the export credit rate. Customers are notified when applying for interconnection that the value of excess energy is subject to change. While not at issue in this case, all onsite generation customers, regardless of legacy status, are subject to changes in rates (energy prices), billing components and billing structure.