Solar installation cutting Brentwood electricity costs but net-metering and billing remain unclear

Board members heard a detailed update on the district’s new solar installation and ongoing questions about billing and net metering.

Administrators reported estimated savings of roughly $30,000 annually and noted a check recently arrived with no accompanying explanation. Staff and a contractor contact from Barrington Power are reviewing months of power bills and generation data to reconcile how much energy the system produced, how much the district consumed, and whether credits are being calculated correctly by the third-party arrangement that currently sits between the district and Eversource.

The central-office presenter said the district’s billing is complicated by multiple meters and unclear documentation: one device appears to be a net meter while another reads import only. Barrington Power and staff will compare pre- and post-installation consumption and production spreadsheets to identify discrepancies and advise whether changes—such as switching back to the utility directly instead of a third-party aggregator—would immediately lower per-kilowatt-hour costs.

Administrators cautioned that utility customer-service timelines may delay reconciliation (phone waits were described as long) and that the district will continue to seek outside expertise if needed. A board member suggested students could present on the solar project at the district meeting to highlight benefits to voters if the billing questions are resolved.