Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star)
- October 19, 2019 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Energy
Regulatory Commission (ERC) has made the net-metering rules more friendly to
ordinary electricity consumers.
ERC adopted changes to the Rules
Enabling the Net-Metering Program for Renewable Energy through a resolution.
The net-metering program enables an
ordinary electricity consumer to become a “prosumer.”
As a prosumer, the ordinary
electricity consumer generates electricity for own consumption, as well as sell
any excess generation to the distribution grid.
The rules for the net-metering
program—a non-fiscal incentive mandated by the Renewable Energy Act of 2008—was
promulgated as early as 2013. But during the implementation of the 2013
net-metering rules, significant concerns were raised by the stakeholders.
ERC chairperson and CEO Agnes
Devanadera said the amended net-metering rules address the concerns raised by
various stakeholders on the net-metering program implementation.
“It provides benefits that work for
the welfare of the prosumers or qualified end-user, including a simplified
permitting procedure and reduced installation soft costs for renewable energy
facilities, among others. It likewise takes into account the impact of this
program to non-net-metering customers,” she said.
The amended net-metering rules
prescribe a maximum 20-day processing timeline for the distribution utilities
(DUs) to complete the whole interconnection process from receipt of the letter
of interest as long as all necessary permits and licenses are secured and
completed.
The distribution impact study (DIS)
fee and other related soft costs were also removed in order to encourage
participation from end-users.
ERC has considered that the conduct
of DIS is a regular activity of the DU to ensure the reliability and stability
of the distribution system. Hence, the ERC deemed it unnecessary to
impose additional charges for its conduct.
The pricing methodology under the
amended net-metering rules maintained the DUs’ blended generation cost
excluding other generation adjustments, instead of the proposed retail rate.
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