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Baldwin City adopts ordinance updating residential net metering to state rules
Summary
The Baldwin City Council on an evening meeting approved Ordinance 1518 to bring the city’s solar rules into compliance with state statute, keeping residential credit at 14.11¢/kWh up to usage and paying 5¢/kWh for excess generation; commercial arrangements were unchanged.
Baldwin City’s council voted to adopt Ordinance 1518, updating the city’s solar net‑metering rules to align with recent state statutory guidance and to set the payback rate for excess residential generation.
Russ Harding, speaking for staff, told the council the city’s prior ordinances (No. 13‑85 and 12‑57) were out of date and that the new draft meets state specifications. “For residential, they’ll continue to get back the same, amount for the of the 14.11¢ per kilowatt hour,” the Mayor/Chair said during the presentation. He also explained the treatment of excess production: “anything produced over what they actually use is credited back to you by 5¢ a kilowatt hour.” Harding added that the 5¢ figure reflects the city’s wholesale cost: “Which is our wholesale cost.”
Council members noted the ordinance does not change the city’s existing commercial arrangements. Staff explained residential credits would be zeroed out annually and discussed billing logistics (monthly, quarterly or yearly zeroing) and options for applying credits as a bill offset rather than issuing checks.
Councilmember (speaker 8) moved to approve Ordinance 1518 as presented; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote (recorded 3–0). The ordinance will be published and implemented in coordination with utility billing adjustments.
The ordinance replaces older local rules and is intended to ensure compliance with state law while clarifying how residential excess solar generation will be credited going forward.
