Rocky Mountain Power To Monopolize Solar

Rocky Mountain Power to Monopolize Solar In Utah

Rocky Mountain Power has stepped its efforts to monopolize the solar power market in Utah.

According to a recent article on PV-Tech.org ,Rocky Mountain Power’s sister company Pacific Corp was successful in monopolizing solar power in the state of Nevada.

This Forced 99% of residential solar panel businesses to close by introducing new net metering rates that impose heavy fees on residential solar customers.

Rocky Mountain Power has now turned its full attention to monopolizing the solar power industry in Utah and wants legislators to approve the same type of metering system.

How Net Metering Works

Currently, solar power customers are charged a fee for storing excess energy on RMP’s power grid.

Rocky Mountain purchases the excess energy at a reduced price, and then resells it at a higher price to its customers.

During peak production times,solar panels can produce excess amounts of energy which is then stored on a grid system that is owned by Rocky Mountain Power. Solar panel customers receive a small credit in return for the excess energy.

Summer months see the heaviest drain on the power grid by non-solar power customers, however,solar panel owners produce energy instead of draining energy.

According to a recent study conducted by Rocky Mountain,solar panel owners are a drain on the current grid system and cause non-solar panel owners to pay more for its energy consumption when power rates are the most expensive.

The only time that solar panels are not producing excess energy is during non-peak times such as night-time hours, and days with heavy cloud cover or during winter months when electric power rates are the least expensive and when usage is at its lowest.

 Proposed Fees and Costs

According to the same article in PV TECH.ORG

In proposing these new fees, Rocky Mountain Power would be able to dominate and monopolize solar power in Utah.

Under the proposal, the average solar ratepayer – who uses 1,000 kwh per month – would pay US$74 a month, up from the current average of US$55 per month.

The proposal was filed with the Utah public service commission (PSC) yesterday and also includes an additional US$15 service charge and 3.81 cents/kWh fee.

Rocky Mountain Power has also proposed a U.S. $60 net metering application fee and a monthly demand charge to be calculated by multiplying the kilowatts of power used during the peak by U.S. $9.02.

This is the latest attempt by a utility to implement a demand charge, following proposals in Arizona, Texas and Illinois.

What Solar Owners Can Do

You can contact Utah legislators and ask them to stop RPM from monopolizing solar power in Utah before a decision on RPM’s proposal is finalized.

Contact your legistlators

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Give us a call at (801) 900-4599 or shoot us an email at contact@newstar.solar.