Customer-owned Generation

Level 1 (Part 1)
Level 2-4 (w/ Attch A)

Level 1 (Part 2)
Level 2-4 (Attch B)

The most common type of generation is Solar Photovoltaic (typically just referred to as 'solar').  Small-scale wind and hydro power are also relatively common, though rare within our service area. You can find the full list of qualifying generation sources under the definition of 'Alternative Energy Sources' in 52 PA Code § 75.1. Definitions.

Net Metering allows customers to install their own generation to offset their expected electric usage. Excess generation is 'banked' for use in future months when generation may not be sufficient to cover usage. Excess beyond what can be consumed in a year is paid to customers in the form of an annual credit.

Additionally, customers may be eligble for 'Alternative Energy Credits (AECs) for every 1,000 kilowatt-hours of energy they produce. These credits may be sold through a broker or 'retired' by customers who wish offset their own carbon footprint. 

Unfortunately, there is no clear 'Yes' or 'No' answer to this question. There are many reasons to consider installing renewable generation. Each come with associated costs and benefits and each technology has different pros and cons. We encourage you to talk to installers, others you know who have already installed generation, and, of course, you can call us with any specific questions you may have!

No. Your electric bills includes costs to cover basic access to our distribution system and our services as a utility. While your generation may offset all of your usage, it will not zero out these fixed costs. For non-residential customers, the 'demand' component of your bill will also still apply, and may or may not be affected by your generation.

With 'Net' metering, your electric meter tracks the total energy that is consumed from Citizens' Electric every month, as well as how much is exported back onto our system. At the end of the month, if you have exported more than you have used, you won't be billed for any kWh, and the extra energy will be added to a 'bank' that you can track on your bills.

If, in a later month, you use more than you export, we'll apply kWh from your bank against your net usage for that month. You'll never lose a kWh that your system generates.

The Energy Year ("EY") for Net Metering is the 12-month period from every June 1st through the following May 31st. On or after May 31, we check each net metering customer account to see if there is any remaining banked usage. If there is, we'll issue a check for the kWh in the bank based on our Price-to-Compare ("PTC") in effect when the energy was banked.

It's important to consider that whatever generation you can consume during the EY offsets both the PTC and the distribution charges on your bill. When you are paid for excess, you are only paid for the PTC. This means the generation you consume with your own usage provides the best return. Excess generation still has value, but it is significantly less than energy used during the EY. This is why most Net Metering customers choose to size their systems based on their average annual consumption.

Alternative Energy Credits ("AEC"s), sometimes also referred to more generically as "REC"s are a credit earned for each 1,000kWh generated by a qualifying renewable generation system.

Generation for the purpose of AECs is measured internally by the system, Citizens' Electric is not involved at all. If you plan to certify and sell AECs, which most customers chose to do, you'll want to discuss this up front with your installer.

AECs are sold through an open market to companies, generators, and/or utilities in order to meet their regulatory or self-imposed renewable goals. By selling AECs, you are, in essence, choosing to sell your renewable generation on the market instead of offsetting your own carbon footprint. This is not to say you are not still helping the environment, but you are helping someone else offset their carbon footprint, rather than offsetting your own.

If you wish to offset your own carbon footprint, you can keep your AECs and 'retire' them, or simply not certify and track them in the first place.

Yes! Interconnection regulations allow for Virtual Meter Aggregation, meaning that you may share excess generation to one or more additional accounts meeting the following criteria:

• All accounts must be held by the same individual or legal entity.
• All accounts must be served by the same utility.
• Each additional account must be located within two (2) miles, boundary-to-boundary, of the master net metered account.

You may not sell or transfer excess generation otherwse.

There is currently proposed legislation that would provide opportunities for 'community solar' or other shared, renewable, qualifying generation that customers could subscribe to voluntarily. If and when this legislation is passed, Citizens' will evaluate how it can be made available to our customers.

While shopping options are not currently offered for most Citizens' customers, those that do shop should consult with their energy supplier before installing net metered generation. Citizens' is still required to allow net metering to offset our distribution charges, but each supplier specifies their own terms for purchasing back generation and/or crediting exports against energy usage.

The answer depends on the system you install. For safety reasons, all net metered systems are required to automatically isolate themselves from the utility system during an outage.

Systems can be designed to supply power to some or all of your home or business during a utility outage, but this requires special design considerations, and may also require energy storage. Consult your installer if you are interested.

Yes, batteries may be installed as part of your net metered system. Citizens' does not currently offer any programs or incentives for energy storage, but a battery may still be useful to offset the demand of your electric service or to provide emergency power.

Consult your installer if you feel that a battery may be beneficial. You may also contact us if you have more detailed questions about the costs and benefits of energy storage.

No. Citizens' does not currently have any programs to actively manage distributed energy systems, including all those qualifying for Net Metering.

The Company may still interrupt service as necessary for safety or the maintenance and operation of our distribution system, just as we do for any customers. We do not reimburse for 'lost' generation during interruptions.