Net Metering Customer Prevails in Complaint Against PacifiCorp -

Source: Tom Starrs in IREC Interconnection Newsletter 2001.09.17

Todd Cory of Mount Shasta in Northern California reported that his complaint against his utility, Pacific Power & Light Company (a PacifiCorp subsidiary) was favorably resolved. When Mr. Cory sought to interconnect a small residential PV system under California's net metering law, PP&L sought to impose a $500 charge to replace Mr. Cory's existing meter with a different meter that was capable of separately tracking electricity flows to and from Mr. Cory's property. Mr. Cory read the California net metering law as prohibiting the utility from imposing any additional metering charge if his existing meter was capable of net metering, so he took the initiative to contact the manufacturer of his electric meter. The meter manufacturer responded by providingrecent test data for the class of meter that Mr. Cory had on his home, noting that "the difference between forward and reverse registration is statistically insignificant," and concluding that the existing meter "is designed to accurately measure energy in either direction." Mr. Cory first sought an informal resolution of the dispute from PacifiCorp, PP&L's parent company, but when he found the utility's response unsatisfactory he filed a formal complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission. In late August, PacifiCorp filed an Answer and Affirmative Defense acknowledging certain mistakes in its interpretation of the net metering law, and confirming the steps it was taking to correct its policies.