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Developer tells Candia the town could receive modest net-metering credits; board asks attorney to review contract
Summary
A representative for a solar developer explained group net metering to the Select Board and said the town could receive annual credits based on municipal electricity usage (an example: ~$5,000 year one, ~ $125,000 over 20 years for typical usage). The board asked the town attorney to review contracts before any commitment.
During the Dec. 8 Select Board meeting a resident researcher introduced materials on group net metering and the board heard from a company representative about how the state program directs a share of solar-project proceeds to participating public entities.
The presenter described the program as one in which a developer operating a 1–5 megawatt facility (the example given was a facility in Belmont) allocates a portion of surplus generation proceeds to participating public accounts, based on each participant's annual kilowatt-hour usage. The company representative said municipal credits are distributed as checks and offered an illustrative calculation: a town that used about 500,000 kilowatt-hours in the prior 12 months could expect roughly $5,000 in year one and an estimated $125,000 across 20 years, subject to actual consumption and contract terms.
Board members asked whether signing the contract would require the town to change its power supplier arrangements or forego other programs; the developer said the program can be coordinated with standard power suppliers without conflict but recommended the town have its attorney and Standard Power review the documents. The board agreed to have the town attorney review the contract and to have staff coordinate with Standard Power before taking further steps.
What happens next: Staff will have the town attorney and Standard Power review the agreement language and provide a recommendation back to the Select Board before the board takes any formal action to sign or join a developer program.
