Nevada maintains new demand charge for solar customers
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Nevada’s energy regulator has maintained its plan to implement a daily surcharge, which would increase solar users' costs by about $12 a month.
Christi Cabrera-Georgeson, deputy director of the Nevada Conservation League, said no other public utility commission in the country has approved such a charge. She noted clean energy advocates are nervous about the ripple effects.
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"We've heard that there have been solar companies that are closing their doors are moving out of state because of this decision," Cabrera-Georgeson reported.
Despite multiple requests for the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to reconsider its decision, the agency sided with NV Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy and the only participant in the rate case to support the demand charge. Cabrera-Georgeson pointed out she expects some groups are now considering legal options to challenge the decision in the district court.
Camalot Todd, communications director for the Nevada Conservation League, said Nevada is one of the best locations in the nation for solar, with a majority of sunny days throughout the year and argued having solar panels is a pragmatic decision for residents seeking to lower their bills. She added hundreds of people showed up to testify against the daily charge.
"Not only does this hurt everyday Nevadans, everyday people who have houses or apartments, it also sets a dangerous precedent for other places that have Berkshire Hathaway Energy subsidies as their utility monopoly," Todd emphasized.
Nationwide, electricity prices have skyrocketed, increasing in the last year more than twice as fast as the overall cost of living, according to federal data.
