Solar & Battery Regulation & Incentive Programs

Net Metering

Program Overview


Category:
Regulatory Policy
Program Type:
Net Metering
Implementing Sector:
State
State:
North Dakota
Eligible Storage Technologies:
Geothermal Electric, Solar Thermal Electric, Solar Photovoltaics, Wind (All), Biomass, Hydroelectric, Municipal Solid Waste, Combined Heat & Power, Wind (Small), Hydroelectric (Small)
Applicable Utilities:
Investor-owned utilities
System Capacity Limit:
100 kW
Aggregate Capacity Limit:
No limit specified
Net Excess Generation:
Reconciled monthly at avoided cost rate*
Ownership of Renewable Energy Credits:
Customers retain ownership of renewable energy credits (RECs) associated with the customer's load, while RECs associated with NEG convey to the utility
Meter Aggregation:
Not addressed
Applicable Sectors:
Commercial, Industrial, Residential
Last Updated:
05/26/2017

Summary

Eligibility and Availability

North Dakota's net metering policy, adopted in 1991 by the state Public Service Commission (PSC), applies to renewable energy systems and combined heat and power (CHP) systems up to 100 kilowatts (kW) in capacity.* Net metering is available to all customers of investor-owned electric utilities; it is not available to customers of municipal utilities or electric cooperatives.

Net Excess Generation

If a customer has net excess generation (NEG) at the end of a monthly billing period, the utility must purchase the NEG at the utility's avoided cost rate.

Aggregate Capacity Limit

There is no specified statewide limit on the aggregate capacity of all net-metered systems. 

REC Ownership

Customers retain ownership of renewable energy credits (RECs) associated with the customer's load, while RECs associated with NEG convey to the utility (with compensation to the customer-generator). 

Utilities may recover metering costs associated with production monitoring from a net-metered system.

* The North Dakota Legislative Council's Committee on Administrative Rules has objected to the PSC's provisions for net metering, asserting that the PSC violated legislative intent by establishing net metering. However, according to the PSC, net metering is currently available to qualifying customers in North Dakota.


Authorities

NameEnacted DateEffective DateExpired Date
ND Administrative Code 69-09-07-098/9/19915/1/1991