§ 7-306. Net energy metering
West's Annotated Code of MarylandPublic UtilitiesEffective: October 1, 2023
Effective: October 1, 2023
MD Code, Public Utilities, § 7-306
Formerly cited as MD PUBLIC UTIL COMP § 7-306
§ 7-306. Net energy metering
(8) “Net excess generation” means the amount of the electricity generated by an eligible customer-generator that is in excess of the electricity consumed by the eligible customer-generator and that results in a negative kilowatt-hour reading at the end of the eligible customer-generator's billing cycle.
(b) The General Assembly finds and declares that a program to provide net energy metering for eligible customer-generators is a means to encourage private investment in renewable energy resources, stimulate in-State economic growth, enhance continued diversification of the State's energy resource mix, and reduce costs of interconnection and administration.
(c) An electric company serving an eligible customer-generator shall ensure that the meter installed for net energy metering is capable of measuring the flow of electricity in two directions.
(d) The Commission shall require electric utilities to develop a standard contract or tariff for net energy metering and make it available to eligible customer-generators on a first-come, first-served basis until the rated generating capacity owned and operated by eligible customer-generators in the State reaches 3,000 megawatts.
(e)(1) A net energy metering contract or tariff shall be identical, in energy rates, rate structure, and monthly charges, to the contract or tariff that the customer would be assigned if the customer were not an eligible customer-generator.
(f)(1) The electric company shall calculate net energy metering in accordance with this subsection.
2. except for an eligible customer-generator served by a municipal electric utility or an electric cooperative and subject to subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph, accrue net excess generation for an indefinite period regardless of whether the eligible customer-generator previously accrued net excess generation for a period authorized under item 1 of this subparagraph.
(iii) 1. If an eligible customer-generator elects to accrue net excess generation for a period not to exceed 12 months under subparagraph (i)1 of this paragraph, the dollar value of net excess generation shall be equal to the generation or commodity portion of the rate that the eligible customer-generator would have been charged by the electric company averaged over the previous 12-month period ending with the billing cycle that is complete immediately before the end of April multiplied by the number of kilowatt-hours of net excess generation.
2. For an eligible customer-generator that elects to accrue net excess generation under subparagraph (i)1 of this paragraph and is served by a community choice aggregator or an electricity supplier, the dollar value of the net excess generation shall be equal to the generation or commodity rate that the customer would have been charged by the community choice aggregator or electricity supplier multiplied by the number of kilowatt-hours of net excess generation.
(6)(i) If an eligible customer-generator elects to accrue net excess generation under paragraph (5)(i)1 of this subsection, on or before 30 days after the billing cycle that is complete immediately prior to the end of April of each year, the electric company shall pay the eligible customer-generator for the dollar value of any accrued net excess generation remaining at the end of the previous 12-month period ending with the billing cycle that is complete immediately before the end of April.
(ii) Within 15 days after the date an eligible customer-generator that elects to accrue net excess generation under paragraph (5)(i)1 of this subsection closes the eligible customer-generator's account, the electric company shall pay the eligible customer-generator for the dollar value of any accrued net excess generation remaining at the time the eligible customer-generator closes the account.
(7)(i) Notwithstanding paragraphs (5) and (6) of this subsection, an eligible customer-generator served by an electric cooperative that serves a population of less than 250,000 in its distribution territory may choose to be paid for the dollar value of net excess generation remaining at the end of each month instead of at the end of the accrual period specified under paragraph (5)(i)1 of this subsection.
(g)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (6) and (7) of this subsection, the generating capacity of an electric generating system used by an eligible customer-generator for net metering may not exceed 2 megawatts.
(6) The Commission may not prohibit the construction or operation of multiple net metered solar energy generating facilities located on separate contiguous lots that are owned by a local government solely because the capacity of the combined net metering systems exceeds the limit established under paragraph (1) of this subsection, if:
(h) An eligible customer-generator participating in net energy metering may participate in the aggregation activities of a community choice aggregator under § 7-510.3 of this title.
(i) On or before November 1 of each year, the Commission shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, on the status of the net metering program under this section, including:
Credits
Added by Acts 1998, c. 8, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1998. Amended by Acts 1999, c. 535, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1999; Acts 2004, c. 542, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2004; Acts 2005, c. 266, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2005; Acts 2006, c. 121, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2006; Acts 2006, c. 122, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2006; Acts 2007, c. 119, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2007; Acts 2007, c. 120, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2007; Acts 2009, c. 341, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2009, c. 436, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2010, c. 437, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2010, c. 438, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2010, c. 573, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2010, c. 574, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2011, c. 47, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Acts 2011, c. 405, § 1, eff. June 1, 2011; Acts 2011, c. 406, § 1, eff. June 1, 2011; Acts 2019, c. 8, § 5; Acts 2021, c. 271, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 272, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 449, § 2, eff. June 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 624, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 625, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Acts 2022, c. 438, § 1, eff. July 1, 2022; Acts 2022, c. 439, § 1, eff. July 1, 2022; Acts 2022, c. 581, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2022; Acts 2023, c. 458, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2023.
Formerly Art. 78, § 54M.
MD Code, Public Utilities, § 7-306, MD PUBLIC UTIL § 7-306
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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