Net Metering

Program Overview

Implementing Sector	State
Category	Regulatory Policy
State	North Dakota
Incentive Type	Net Metering
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies	Geothermal Electric, Solar Thermal Electric, Solar Photovoltaics, Wind (All), Biomass, Hydroelectric, Municipal Solid Waste, Combined Heat & Power, Wind (Small), Hydroelectric (Small)
Applicable Sectors	Commercial, Industrial, Local Government, Nonprofit, Residential, Schools, State Government, Federal Government, Agricultural, Multifamily Residential, Low Income Residential
Applicable Utilities	Investor-owned utilities
System Capacity Limit	100 kW
Aggregate Capacity Limit	No limit specified
Net Excess Generation	Reconciled monthly at avoided cost rate*
Ownership of Renewable Energy Credits	Customers retain ownership of renewable energy credits (RECs) associated with the customer's load, while RECs associated with NEG convey to the utility
Meter Aggregation	Not addressed

Summary

Eligibility and Availability

North Dakota’s net metering policy, adopted in 1991 by the state Public Service Commission (PSC), applies to renewable energy systems and combined heat and power (CHP) systems up to 100 kilowatts (kW) in capacity.* Net metering is available to all customers of investor-owned electric utilities; it is not available to customers of municipal utilities or electric cooperatives.

Net Excess Generation

If a customer has net excess generation (NEG) at the end of a monthly billing period, the utility must purchase the NEG at the utility’s avoided cost rate.

Aggregate Capacity Limit

There is no specified statewide limit on the aggregate capacity of all net-metered systems.

REC Ownership

Customers retain ownership of renewable energy credits (RECs) associated with the customer’s load, while RECs associated with NEG convey to the utility (with compensation to the customer-generator).

Utilities may recover metering costs associated with production monitoring from a net-metered system.

* The North Dakota Legislative Council’s Committee on Administrative Rules has objected to the PSC’s provisions for net metering, asserting that the PSC violated legislative intent by establishing net metering. However, according to the PSC, net metering is currently available to qualifying customers in North Dakota.

Authorities

Name	ND Administrative Code 69-09-07-09
Date Enacted	8/9/1991
Effective Date	5/1/1991

Contact

North Dakota Public Service Commission

Address:

600 E. Boulevard Ave, Dept. 408
Bismarck, ND 58505

Phone:

(701) 328-2400

E-Mail:

ndpsc@nd.gov