Private Generation Credit (Net Metering) FAQ
New York Residential customers who interconnected prior to March 9, 2017 :
Once I generate my own electricity, can I get off the grid?
No, you’ll still be connected to us through the grid. That way, in the event that you need more electricity than you’re creating, we can automatically supply it to you. Likewise, if you create more electricity than you can use, that extra electricity could go into the grid, and you’ll get credit on your bill for it.How do you know how much electricity I’m putting into and taking out of the electric system?
You’ll get a special meter called a net meter installed at your home. The meter measures how much electricity you use from the electric system if you don’t create enough and — if you create more than you can use — how much you feed into the system. The difference between the two is calculated and shown on your monthly bill as your Total Usage kWh.How will I know if I’m making more electricity than I’m using?
If you’re making more power than you’re using, the Total Usage kWh on your bill will be shown as negative kilowatt-hours (kWh). On the flip side, if you’re using more power than you’re generating and need electricity from us, the Total Usage kWh will be shown as positive kWh.When do I receive credit for the extra electricity my system generates?
We’ll keep tabs on your surplus electricity and it’ll appear every month on your bill. We’ll reconcile your surplus and give you a credit in dollars the month following your anniversary month. If your credit exceeds the bill amount, it’ll be subtracted from the next bill.When is the anniversary month?
Your anniversary month is the month your net metering account was activated in our system. If you generate more power than you use, you’ll receive a credit on the bill following your anniversary month.Can I change my anniversary month?
You may change your anniversary month at any time, and you may switch to any month of your choice, but only once. You can find your anniversary month on your bill under the Net Metering Summary section.How do you determine the amount of my credit?
We use the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) Day-Ahead Hourly Pricing when calculating your credit. We’ll multiply any extra kWh you have remaining (Net Meter Energy Credit) by the day-ahead hourly price. That dollar amount will be applied to your account as a credit.Example: NYISO Day-Ahead Hourly Price = 2.3¢ per kWh
Net Meter Energy Credit = 1,500 kWh
Your Credit Amount = $34.50
What is the NYISO Day-Ahead Hourly Pricing?
This is the wholesale price of electricity that we would pay if we were to purchase electricity at that time.Can I keep accumulating my credit year after year?
No. According to the N.Y.S PBS Law 66-J 4c, if there’s a kWh credit remaining at the anniversary month, we must provide a monetary credit to you at the wholesale price of electricity, and apply that credit to your bill the following month.
New York Residential customers who interconnected between March 9, 2017 and December 31, 2021 :
What has changed under Phase One NEM?
The term of service under this Rider is 20 years from the in-service date for all customers with Phase One NEM, unless: a one-time irrevocable election was made to opt-in to the Value Stack Tariff or the Commission issues a new compensation methodology.
Once the 20 or 25 years from the in-service date has expired, projects still in operation will be billed and credited based on the tariff that is then in effect.
The anniversary month, or cash-out, is discontinued. Excess generation will continue to carryover from month to month and be credited to the bill along with the generating produced within that current bill cycle.
At the end of the term of service, customers with on-site generation, will forfeit any remaining net metering or Value Stack credit that remains.
New York Residential customers who interconnect on or after January 1st, 2022 :
What has changed under the NEM Successor?
Customers will continue to receive the existing compensation available to Phase One NEM customers (or the Value Stack if the customer chooses to opt into that compensation methodology) with the following changes:
Mass Market (i.e. Non-Demand Billed) NEM customers shall be charged a monthly non-bypassable Customer Benefit Contribution. You can find additional information on this monthly fixed charge, and how it is calculated in Orange and Rockland Utilities Electric Tariff, Leaf 185.15.
Existing Mass Market will be able to elect a different rate option (non-Time of Use (“TOU”) rate, a TOU rate, or a standby service rate) available to those customers under their service classification once per year on their selected anniversary date, if available. If a customer elects a standby service rate, then the customer will receive credits under the Value Stack Tariff and will no longer be eligible for Phase One NEM.
Customers interconnecting their electric generating equipment on or after January 1, 2022 that choose TOU rate option will receive monetary crediting.
New Jersey:
Once I generate my own electricity, can I get off the grid?
No, you’ll still be connected to us through the grid. That way, in the event that you need more electricity than you’re creating, we can automatically supply it to you. Likewise, if you create more electricity than you can use, that extra electricity could go into the grid, and you’ll get credit on your bill for it.How do you know how much electricity I’m putting into and taking out of the electric system?
You’ll get a special meter called a net meter installed at your home. The meter measures how much electricity you use from the electric system if you don’t create enough and — if you create more than you can use — how much you feed into the system. The difference between the two is calculated and shown on your monthly bill as your Total Usage kWh.How will I know if I’m making more electricity than I’m using?
If you’re making more power than you’re using, the Total Usage kWh on your bill will be shown as negative kilowatt-hours (kWh). On the flip side, if you’re using more power than you’re generating and need electricity from us, the Total Usage kWh will be shown as positive kWh.
When do I receive credit for the extra electricity my system generates?
We’ll keep tabs on your surplus electricity and it’ll appear every month on your bill. We’ll reconcile your surplus and give you a credit in dollars the month following your annualized period (anniversary month). If your credit exceeds the bill amount, it’ll be subtracted from the next bill.What is the annualized period?
The annualized period is a 12-month billing period of your choice. If you don’t choose your annualized period, we’ll default it to begin on the first full day of the month we activate your net metering account. If you have any kWh credits at the end of your annualized period (anniversary month), we’ll give you a monetary credit on the following bill. You can find out when your anniversary month is by looking on your bill under the Net Metering Summary section.How do you determine the amount of my credit?
We use the Basic Generation Service Provider’s Avoided Cost of Wholesale Power when calculating your credit. We’ll multiply any extra kWh you have remaining (Net Meter Energy Credit) by this cost. That dollar amount will be applied to your account as a credit.Example: Cost of Wholesale Power = 2.3¢ per kWh
Net Meter Energy Credit = 1,500 kWh
Your Credit Amount = $34.50