20130115Comment.pdf

1PC-EI'7
NET METERING PROPOSED CHANGES
RE CE!
zm JAN 14 PM 3: 33 I have been a participant of the Idaho Power net metering program for 5 years now, and am very
concerned about the proposed changes My system consists of a 25 KW wind tuiiha I5 K-
micro hydro system, and a 1.9 KW solar array, all grid tied with no battery
generating capacity of less then 6 KW.
All spring, summer, and fall, my system produces more power then I use during those months. I
of course "bank" these excess (more on that term 'excess" later) KWH's within Idaho Power's
system, with the full expectation that this power that I produced will be available to me during
the winter months, when the short solar days result in much less PV power, and my micro hydro
system is shut down due to freezing issues. My home also uses more power during this exact
same time period I am producing less. To date, it has worked out great, I make a big dent in my
annual production of power, and make it through the winter coasting on my credits. I have
included some past copies of my power statements to illustrate how this has worked for me
Keep in mind this happened only with an investment by myself of approximately $30,000.00 in
the combined systems. Plus there are some ongoing maintenance issues with the hydro and wind
systems, this also costs me money and time. So, I am not really getting something for nothing,
just some return on my investment. This next point is important: I did not do this to bill Idaho
Power, to sell my power to them and receive a check, I did it to supply my own energy needs.
Idaho Power gets my excess power during the same time period their system is being taxed the
most, during the summer months with their associated cooling and irrigation loads. I have
NEVER planned to sell my excess power to them, and while I understand their needs to make a
profit while keeping the costs down, I cannot understand how the current program (as far as my
size of system) costs them anything. I am a retired senior citizen, who invested in this equipment
with the understanding it would offset my future power bills, if they get all the changes they
want, my bill would rise by some (I'm not sure how to do the math here,) but according to the
cost analysis done by Idaho Power's own Patti Best (email printed and enclosed), my billing
would go from having about a $100.00 positive credit annually to a bill of almost $600.00!
Please keep in mind I am willing to GIVE this $100.00 annual credit to Idaho Power, if I have no
choice. BUT, I WILL NEVER EXPECT THEM TO CUT ME CHECK FOR THIS, and I believe
this is their main complaint. Especially with the big wind farms! This brings up the most
offensive thing about the proposed changes, the cutoff date of December 31 st, where any excess
credits will be forfeited to Idaho Power.
I firmly believe this is an arbitrary date, chosen simply for it's "end of the year" neatness. It
4otally ignores the fact, due to the much greater production of PV and micro hydro systems
during the summer months. This is like telling a hay farmer that you the farmer, will be required
to hand over whatever hay you have left at a certain time of the year to the property landlord.
Now if this was in the spring, after you fed your own livestock and sold your excess all fall and
winter at the most lucrative prices, you would not complain, much. BUT, if right after your last
cutting, when your hay barn is bursting with the hay from your years labor, you then had to hand
over your "excess ....... well you can see my point. No problem though right? He can still get hay,
but now he has to buy it back (after GIVING it to them) at full retail price. With the 12-31 cut
off date, I and others with small renewable energy systems would get the rug pulled out from
under us right at the worst possible time, when we have our largest excess (hopefully) banked
and right when our production falls off!
So, IF Idaho Power can somehow make the case that we small producers (less then 25 KH
systems), are some how costing them money and they need to seize our hard produced and costly
(for the equipment) homemade power to re-sell to others, let them Set the cut off date to THE
END OF MARCH, NOT THE END OF DECEMBER! This would be eminently fairer, and I for
one would not have a problem with it. From a technical standpoint, there is absolutely no reason
that this could not be done. The usual fiscal practice of simply using the end of the calendar year
as the cutoff date is unacceptable. I have included a few copies of my bills from them, showing
how an end of the calendar year cut off date would cripple my systems economics, and resulting
in my giving several hundred dollars worth of my power to them free of charge for them to re-
sell, and then I'd be buying power at the full retail rate from them to get me through the rest of
the winter! After the major investment in the needed renewable energy equipment, and the
ongoing maintenance of same, it is a slap in the face to have Idaho Power seize my "excess" on
Dec. 31
I should mention that my home is all electric, as I knew I would be meeting much if not all of
my own power needs, if I had known that this change was a possibility I would have gotten a
propane furnace, water heater etc.,. NOT electric, too late now.
To sum up:
1.I don't care if they don't want to write me a check for my excess power, (which as you can see
from the copy of my latest bill, my credit is now up to $528.82, but that is not on an annual basis,
that took 5 years to build up) I will never ask them to. That is, I will never ask them too unless
they get all the changes they want, then I will (one time, and not feel guilty about it) as over 500
bucks is too much to just give them! Plus I would need the money to pay my new powerbill!
2.Don't mix up their main beef with the big wind farms and the large private hydroelectric plant
owners with us little guys, set a system cap of 25 KW generating capacity system, below that,
leave us alone, we are too small to bother with, keep the program as is. We are not hurting them
or their stockholders, and we help (a very small amount, granted) their system in the summer
months.
3.If they absolutely have to set a date where we hand over our excess power to them for no
compensation, not even a charitable tax donation receipt, make that date the end of March, this is
the most critical point and cannot be overstated.
Thank you
Tom Simko
245 N. Bonneville Rd.
Inkom, Idaho 83245 [e-mail] 208-716-0400
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Page 1 of 1
Tom Simko
From: "Becia, Celeste" <CBecia©idahopowercom>
To: <simkot@ida net>
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2012 10:27 AM
Subject: Simko rate analysis
Tom;
Patti did some analysis of your current vs proposed bill under the new tariff. Please note that our
analysis is set up for solar generation only, so this is a very rough estimate.
If you have any questions, you can call the net metering number at 388.2559 after next
Tuesday.
Celeste Becia
From: Best, Patti
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2012 10:08 AM
To: Beda, Celeste
Subject: Tom Simko
The calculator is developed for solar. I made assumptions as to a 20% capacity factor for wind
and 50% hydro. Those may be high. If Tom has better data on production from his wind turbine
and his hydro unit-especially month to month, that would be appreciated. Also, information on
how his home uses energy would help too. Have there been any major changes since he went
from Rate 01 to Rate 84? (Under rate 01, total energy use was fairly low and I would be curious
to see how he uses energy today.)
Patti
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1/8/2013
NNW- IDAHO
-POWER.
P.11 IOACORP Company
www.idahopower.com
Questions? Contact us at:
P0 BOX 70, Boise, ID 83707.
Or call [phone] (Treasure Valley)
or [phone]. Se habla espanot.
For faster service please call
Tuesday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Customer Name: TOM SIMKO
Account Number: -
Billing Date: 11126/2012
Print Date: 11/26/2012
Page I of 2
Account
Activity
Due Date Please Pay
12/1112012 $0.00
PreviousBalance .....................................................................................$528.82 CR
Payments - Thank You .............................................................................$0.00
BalanceForward ......................................................................................$52&82 CR
Current Charges $7.07
Account Balance $521.75 CR
Please Note: Any unpaid balances will be assessed a monthly charge of one percent (1%) for Idaho customers. Any credit due to a
rebelling will be applied to future billings or can be refunded upon customer request. Returned checks may be resubmitted electronically for
payment. Cheeks remaining unpaid wilt be charged a $20 fee.
Consider joining Idaho Power in supporting Project Share, a valuable community service that
uses voluntary contributions to assist individuals and families who need help paying their energy
bills during the winter heating season. To make a pledge, visit our Web site
(www.idahopower.com ) or mark the appropriate box on the back of the pay stub.
V
1!
P!JHO
PNER
An IDACORP Company
www.idahopower.com
Questions? Contact us at:
P0 BOX 10, Boise, ID 83707.
Or Call [phone] (Treasure Valley)
or [phone]. Se habla español.
For faster service please call
Tuesday - Friday, 7:30 am. to 6:30 p.m.
Customer Name: TOM SIMKO
Account Number: 110MMIVW
Billing Date: 11/26/2012
Print Date: 11/26/2012
Pagc2of 2
Service Agreement No: J Next Read Date: 12/21/2012
Service Location: $ BONNEVILLE RD/INKOM. ID
Meter
Number
Service Period
From To
Number
of Days
Reading
Type
Meter Readings
Previous Current
Meter
Constant
kWh
Used
502A77400204_j 10119/12 1 11121/12 33 Regular 93640 93664 1 24
Billing kW BLC
9 0
Residential 10/1912012 - 11/21/2012 33 days
Rate Schedule Service Charge .................................................................................$5.00
184R - $.Qfl72355..per kWJL
Annual Adjustment Mechanism ...........................................................$0.07
Energy Efficiency Services .................................................................$0.27
FederalColumbia River Benefits Supplied by BPA $0.01 CR
Current Charges - Electric Service $7.07
CR = Credit kWh =Kilowatt-hour PCA =Power Cost Adjustment kW = Kilowatt BLC =Basic Load Capacity G Generation
Your Electric If Use Pattern <0
29.3
22.3
9.0
.0 M M M .0 .0 .0 .0 .0 .0 .0 .7
Nov-11 Dec-11 Jan-12 Feb-12 Mar-12 Apr-12 May-12 Jun-12 Jul-12 Aug-12 Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12