Last DSIRE Review: 01/21/2010
Program Overview:
| State: |
Connecticut |
| Incentive Type: |
Net Metering |
| Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies: |
Solar Thermal Electric, Photovoltaics, Landfill Gas, Wind, Biomass, Hydroelectric, Fuel Cells, Municipal Solid Waste, Small Hydroelectric, Tidal Energy, Wave Energy, Ocean Thermal |
| Applicable Sectors: |
Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Nonprofit, Schools, Local Government, State Government, Fed. Government, Multi-Family Residential, Agricultural, Institutional |
| Applicable Utilities: | Investor-owned utilities
|
| System Capacity Limit: | 2 MW
|
| Aggregate Capacity Limit: | No limit specified
|
| Net Excess Generation: | Credited to customer's next bill at retail rate; excess reconciled annually at either avoided-cost rate or time-of-use/generation rate (for PV systems) |
| REC Ownership: | Customer owns RECs
|
| Meter Aggregation: | Not addressed
|
| Web Site: |
http://www.ctenergyinfo.com/dpuc_net_metering.htm
|
Date Enacted: 1998 (subsequently amended) |
Summary:
Connecticut's two investor-owned utilities -- Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) and United Illuminating Company (UI) -- are required to provide net metering to customers that generate electricity using "Class I" renewable-energy resources, which include solar, wind, landfill gas, fuel cells, sustainable biomass, ocean-thermal power, wave or tidal power, low-emission advanced renewable-energy conversion technologies, and hydropower facilities up to two megawatts (MW) in capacity. Legislation enacted in June 2007 ( HB 7432, Section 39) raised the individual system capacity limit to 2 MW* and extended net metering to all customer classes. These changes took effect October 1, 2007.
There is no stated limit on the aggregate capacity of net-metered systems in a utility's service territory. Any customer net excess generation (NEG) during a monthly billing period is carried over to the following month as a kilowatt-hour (kWh) credit. At the end of an annualized period, the utility pays the customer for any remaining NEG at the utility's avoided-cost rate. In January 2008, the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) ordered CL&P to calculate the reimbursement for PV systems, for any NEG at the end of an annualized period, on a time-of-use/generation basis. This significantly increases the financial benefits of net metering for PV system owners.
Net-metered customers with systems greater than 10 kilowatts (kW) are assessed for the state's competitive transition assessment and the state's systems benefits charge, based on the amount of energy consumed by the customer from the facilities of the utility without netting any electricity produced by the customer.
* Previously, the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) had approved programs designed by the state's investor-owned utilities to allow net metering for renewable-energy systems up to 100 kilowatts (kW) in capacity.
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