Rocky Mountain Power - Net Metering

Idaho does not have a statewide net-metering policy. However, each of the state's three investor-owned utilities -- Avista Utilities, Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power -- has a net-metering tariff on file with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The framework of the utilities' net-metering programs is similar, in that each utility's original program: (1) offers net metering to customers that generate electricity using solar, wind, hydropower, biomass or fuel cells; (2) limits net metering to 0.1% of its retail peak demand in a baseline year (2002 for Rocky Mountain Power); (3) limits residential systems to 25 kilowatts; and (4) restricts any single customer from generating more than 20% of such peak production.* Rocky Mountain Power's net-metering tariff is Schedule 135.

In an April 2016 order, the PUC removed both the system-wide capacity cap of 0.1% of peak demand, and the individual capacity cap of 20% of the customer's peak production. Rocky Mountain Power must submit annual reports to the PUC on net metering participation.

For residential and small commercial customers, net excess generation (NEG) is credited at Rocky Mountain Power's retail rate and carried forward to the next month. For larger commercial and agricultural customers, NEG is credited at 85% of the monthly weighted average of the daily on-peak and off-peak Dow Jones Mid-C Index prices for non-firm energy and carried forward to the next month.

*Note: In 2013, Idaho Power made a request to the PUC to modify its net metering program, resulting in changes to the capacity cap and net excess generation.