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Public urges retaining full retail net‑metering; consultants present four options for change
Summary
Consultants presented four draft net‑metering options (keep current retail credit, credit at avoided wholesale cost, minimum bill, or voluntary green fund); a Utilities Advisory Board member urged keeping full retail net‑metering and cited personal production data. Staff recommended public outreach and a stakeholder survey before any policy change.
Consultants explained that Winter Park's current net‑energy metering (NEM) policy, established in 2014, credits exported rooftop solar at full retail and that, as participation grows, the approach creates a shortfall in fixed‑cost recovery that shifts costs to non‑solar customers. Leidos outlined four options: (1) keep the current retail credit; (2) move to a wholesale avoided‑cost credit (with transmission avoided cost adjustments); (3) establish a minimum monthly bill (approximating the fixed cost); or (4) create a voluntary green fund.
Todd Weaver, a utilities advisory board member and resident, urged the commission not to reduce retail net‑metering and cited his own experience: "I have given away 31.5 megawatt hours ... in the last 3 years," he said, arguing that distributed rooftop solar provides local benefits and that the city should continue to use incentives and zoning to encourage on‑site solar. Commissioners and staff agreed to proceed with public education, refine slides for outreach, and run a stakeholder survey before any policy decision.
