Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Just Solar Users? If there is to be a Usage Fee, Everyone should Pay it

I read a story of how the Public Service Commission in Utah is considering rate changes adverse to the solar industry. Some solar advocates say the rate changes would be among the most regressive in the nation, and could stop the solar industry in Utah.
With the solar industry just becoming viable the last few years, and with it being a key component in countering green house emissions, according to some, this is not a small issue. If you kill the industry just as it is getting on its feet, that should be a concern.
  The rate hike thing is a complicated issue and it is nice of the Deseret News to wade in offering us news coverage. Joel Eves, director of Lehi City Power, suggests his 19,800 regular customers should not have to pay costs that the 200 solar users should be paying. What costs? When the solar user buys a rooftop system, there is nothing the 19,800 regular customers pay for him.
    I think what the Lehi power director is referring to is the infrastructure -- the cost it took to build the lines to transport the power. The idea is, the other power providers paid for that, so if the solar customers are to get paid for the power they feed back into the system, then they should pay a share for what it has cost to build the grid. I wonder at this. It seems that by this line of thinking, all customers use the grid. It doesn't matter if the power is being put into the grid or taken out, either way, all customers use the grid. So, if there is to be a usage fee, it should be charged equally to everyone, not just to the solar users.

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