Over the past several months Liberty has seen a great deal of customer interest in net metering. We have worked with customers and solar developers to ensure that all the connections between the customer systems and our distribution system were completed quickly, safely and in accordance with state law. Recently, two very large applications were received, which will account for roughly half of Liberty’s entire cap. Liberty is currently studying the interconnection requirements for the two larger systems referenced above.

In 2010, a law was passed which made a number of changes aimed at encouraging more net metering in the state. Among those changes was an increase to the size of the facilities eligible to qualify under the program. Under the law passed in 2010, facilities up to 1 MW were allowed to take part in the net metering program. This change has led to a small number of very large systems accounting for a significant portion of Liberty’s cap.

Customers who wish to install renewable generation on their property and interconnect with Liberty Utilities’ distribution system are still permitted to do so. The electricity produced by these systems will still offset the customer’s electricity usage. However, if the system produces more electricity than the customer uses at any given time, that additional electricity is no longer eligible to receive a credit under the state net metering program, unless there is a change in state law.

Customers who wish to be interconnected as a net metered facility may still contact Liberty Utilities, at which point they will be put on a waiting list, where they will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis, in the event that there is a change in the law or if one or more of the projects currently utilizing Liberty’s net metering allocation ceases to be a net metered customer.