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Change in net metering program would support customer equity
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Change in net metering program would support customer equity
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By Robert Kenney, Oakland
Robert Kenney is vice president of Regulatory and External Affairs at Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
Re “Utilities are trying to stymie rooftop solar in California”; Commentary, April 20, 2021
Statements made in this commentary are misleading to the public and to our customers. Modernizing the statewide net energy metering program for rooftop solar has nothing to do with how PG&E makes a profit, which does not depend on how much energy we sell. It has everything to do with the fact that non-solar customers pay more than $3 billion a year – or as much as $200 each – to subsidize solar customers.
That’s an issue that needs to be addressed now to support customer equity and help continue California’s success toward a clean energy future.
We continue to support the state’s climate and clean energy goals, including the sustainable growth of rooftop solar. That’s why we believe net energy metering can be modernized in a way that continues rooftop solar growth while ensuring the burden on customers who don’t have or can’t afford solar does not increase.
Importantly, utilities are not alone in proposing modernization – multiple consumer advocacy and environmental groups proposed similar changes to net energy metering.
Especially for a complex topic like net energy metering, it’s important to understand the facts, not spread misleading statements.