NV Energy changing how they read solar energy

NV Energy will be implementing a new method of reading solar powered energy.

According to Sol-Up Solar’s Regional Manager, Nathaniel Lynn, customers create excess solar energy that builds up over time.

He says, “That excess is actually purchased by NV Energy at 75% of retail. It is then credited towards their future consumption on subsequent bills, right? It’s tallied up at the end of the month though.”

However, with PUCN’s recent vote, NV Energy will be tallying up that extra energy every 15 minutes instead of the end of the month. Crediting it in real-time rather than towards future bills, making solar energy less financially helpful and tougher on low-income families.

“While NV Energy is only projecting that that is going to add an additional eight dollars on average to the utility bills, as we know with low-income families it could really be the difference between powering their homes still and putting food on the table,” Lynn says.

But it’s not just the solar industry that will see some changes.

The Public Utilities Commission also voted to support a new time-of-use-rate plan NV Energy will be implementing in April. This means during peak demand times between 6 to 9pm energy rates will increase impacting everyone statewide regardless if they have solar or not.

“That’s when they’re using their power the most. NV Energy knows that and that’s when they’re going to be charging everybody the most.”

Lynn says these changes will not be as hurtful towards current solar customers since their systems will simply get grandfathered into what they currently have.

However, future solar customers may have to think twice, “Those are the ones that are going to really have to start considering how they size a system and whether or not they want to have batteries be a part of their system as well during these higher peak times,” Lynn explains.

We’ve reached out to NV Energy for a statement regarding these upcoming changes but have not heard back yet.

The new NET metering will go into effect October 1st.