N.J. Admin. Code § 14:8-4.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 14:8-4.3 - Net metering general provisions, annualized period selection

(a) All electric distribution companies (EDCs) and supplier/providers, as defined at 14:4-1.2 and 14:8-1.2, respectively, shall offer net metering to their customers that generate electricity on the customer's side of the meter, using class I renewable energy sources, provided that the generating capacity of the customer-generator's facility does not exceed the amount of electricity supplied by the electric power supplier or basic generation service provider to the customer over an historical 12-month period that the customer-generator selects in accordance with this section.

(b) The EDC shall develop a tariff providing for net metering. Each supplier/provider and EDC shall make net metering available to eligible customer-generators on a first-come, first-served basis.

(c) If, in a given monthly billing period, a customer-generator supplies more electricity to the electric distribution system than the EDC or supplier/provider delivers to the customer-generator, the EDC and supplier/provider shall credit the customer-generator for the excess. To do this, the EDC or supplier/provider shall reduce the customer-generator's bill for the next monthly billing period to compensate for the excess electricity from the customer-generator in the previous billing period.

(d) The EDC and supplier/provider shall carry over credit earned under (c) above from monthly billing period to monthly billing period, and the credit shall accumulate until the end of the customer-generator's annualized period.

(e) At the end of a customer-generator's annualized period, the supplier/provider shall compensate the customer-generator for any excess kilowatt hours generated, at the electric power supplier's or basic generation service provider's avoided cost of wholesale power, as defined at 14:8-4.2.

(f) The EDC or supplier/provider shall offer each customer-generator one opportunity to select a monthly billing period as the start of the customer-generator's annualized period.

(g) A customer-generator may submit its annualized period selection to the EDC or supplier/provider at any time. However, an EDC or supplier/provider is not required to accept a customer-generator selection of an annualized period that begins before the first full day of the first monthly billing period after the submittal of the selection.

(h) If a customer-generator begins net metering after March 2, 2009, and does not submit an annualized period selection, the EDC or supplier/provider shall assign the customer-generator a default annualized period until such time as the customer-generator may choose to submit an annualized period selection. The default annualized period shall begin on the first full day of the first monthly billing period after the customer-generator's facility is interconnected and generating electricity.

(i) If any customer-generator has been net metering for one monthly billing period or more before it submits its annualized period selection, the following shall apply:

1. If the customer-generator has been net metering for more than 12 monthly billing periods, the time between the selection submittal and the end of the customer-generator's most recently ended annualized period shall be treated as one annualized period; and

2. If the customer-generator has been net metering for fewer than 12 monthly billing periods, the time between the selection submittal and the first day of the first full monthly billing period after the customer-generator's facility is interconnected and generating electricity shall be treated as one annualized period.

(j) A customer-generator shall retain its chosen annualized period permanently unless either of the following occurs:

1. The customer-generator switches electric suppliers. In such a case, the electric power supplier or basic generation service provider with whom service is terminating shall treat the end of the service period as if it were the end of the annualized period; or

2. The EDC or supplier/provider, at its discretion, chooses to accept a customer-generator request for a new annualized period.

(k) A customer-generator that is eligible for net metering owns the renewable attributes of the electricity it generates unless there is a contract with an express provision that assigns ownership of the renewable attributes. The customer-generator may trade or sell the attributes to another person, or may use the attributes as the basis for an application for one or more RECs.

(l) A supplier/provider or EDC shall provide net metering at non-discriminatory rates that are identical, with respect to rate structure, retail rate components, and any monthly charges, to the rates that a customer-generator would be charged if not a customer-generator, except that a supplier/provider or EDC may use a special load profile for the customer-generator, which incorporates the customer-generator's real time generation, provided the special load profile is approved by the Board.

(m) A supplier/provider or EDC shall not charge a customer-generator any fee or charge, or require additional equipment, insurance or any other requirement, unless the fee, charge, or other requirement is specifically authorized under this subchapter, or the fee would apply to other customers that are not customer-generators.

(n) Nothing in this subchapter shall abrogate any person's obligation to comply with all applicable Federal or State laws, rules or regulations.

N.J. Admin. Code § 14:8-4.3

Amended by R.2009 d.68, effective 3/2/2009.
See: 40 N.J.R. 5531(a), 41 N.J.R. 1094(a).
Added (f) through the introductory paragraph of (j); recodified former (f) as (j)1; in (j)1, substituted "The" for "If a" at the beginning, inserted ". In such a case" and substituted "; or" for a period at the end; added (j)2; and recodified former (g) through ( l) as (k) through (p).
Amended by R.2010 d.010, effective 1/4/2010.
See: 41 N.J.R. 2215(a), 42 N.J.R. 78(a).
Section was "Net metering general provisions". Rewrote the section.
Amended by R.2010 d.141, effective 7/6/2010.
See: 42 N.J.R. 52(a), 42 N.J.R. 1402(a).
Rewrote (a).
Amended by R.2012 d.107, effective 6/4/2012.
See: 43 N.J.R. 1162(a), 44 N.J.R. 1703(a).
In (a), inserted "that the customer-generator selects in accordance with this section"; in (d), inserted "customer-generator's", and deleted ", as defined at N.J.A.C. 14:8-4.2" following "annualized period"; in (e), substituted "a customer-generator's" for "each"; and in (f), deleted the last sentence.
Amended by R.2013 d.066, effective 4/15/2013.
See: 44 N.J.R. 2043(a), 45 N.J.R. 942(a).
In (a), substituted "historical 12-month period" for "annualized period".