Install solar in Va. and you'll have to pay $60 a month to subsidize nuclear & coal

[kristopher]

Cost of solar energy may go up in Virginia
By Patricia Sullivan

Residents and small businesses who have installed relatively large solar arrays may find that, instead of saving money by getting off the grid, they may face a new $60 per month charge for not using power from Dominion Virginia Power’s coal-fired plants.

Dominion took its request for a “stand-by” fee to the State Corporation Commission in Richmond today. In south Alexandria, on a sunny but cold morning, local clean energy business owners and activists with the Virginia Sierra Club staged a protest.

...Those (solar equipped) consumers see savings on their monthly bill from “net metering,” which allows their surplus power to go back into the grid, generating credits that the consumer can use to offset the cost of electricity when solar panels are not supplying power.

“The standby charge is a matter of fairness,” said David Botkins, a spokesman for Dominion Virginia Power. “The sun doesn’t shine at night; the wind doesn’t always blow. It would be unfair for customers who don’t have these systems to have to pay the infrastructure costs for those who do. The charge lets Dominion recover costs for serving the customers whose alternative energy system does not provide the power they need.”

Nuclear Power Stations

Dominion is a safe, competitive, world-class nuclear operator.
Dominion operates Kewaunee Power Station in Carlton, WI, Millstone Power Station in Waterford, CT, North Anna Power Station in Louisa County, VA and Surry Power Station in Surry County, VA.

http://www.dom.com/about/stations/nuclear/index.jsp

Summary of Virginia's current net metering law:
http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=VA02R&re=1&ee=1

[MADem]

1. What fucking NERVE!!! nt

[Poll_Blind]

2. In any other context, I'd laugh at just how ballsy that is. What a preview of the future?

There it is.

PB

[AtheistCrusader]

3. This is just going to push these companies to double down on alternatives.

Gravity fed water storage. Flywheels. You name it. They invest in this stuff and get slapped in the face for it? What bullshit.

[DCKit]

4. My S.O. is going to be destroyed over this.

My Mom's VA house has been "off the grid" for the past ten years.

I don't even know where to go off on this BS.

[caraher]

5. If you're actually off-grid this doesn't affect you

They can only charge their customers. It's a real slap at the people who are still grid-connected and selling their excess power back to the utility.

People using net metering should charge the utility a similar "standby fee" for their expenses in helping them meet peak demand. My fantasy response:

“The standby charge to Dominion Virgina Power is a matter of fairness,” said solar enthusiast Mary Sunshine. “The sun shines on the hottest days when demand peaks. It would be unfair for utilities who don’t have these systems not to pay some of the infrastructure costs for those who do. The charge lets me recover costs for serving the customers whose fossil fuel and nuclear energy system do not provide the power they need.”

[Historic NY]

6. Looks like someone has to pay for the off line nuke from the earthquake.

[kristopher]

7. The utility is already buying the solar output for a small fraction of the market value.

Summertime peaking power doesn't come cheap.