Idaho PUC Ends Net Metering, Increases Rates, Sparking Outcry from Solar Advocates and Community Groups.

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has scrapped net metering, allowing Idaho Power to calculate time-adjusted rates on an annual basis, rather than a kWh-for-kWh exchange rate based on retail prices. The decision was met with opposition from community groups and solar industry representatives, who argued that the voices of thousands of Idahoans and small businesses were not as important as the voice of the state’s largest monopoly utility. The Idaho PUC also approved an increase in rates for Idaho Power customers via a monthly fixed fee called the “service charge”. The Sierra Club argued that fixed rate increases disproportionately impact low-income and energy conscious households, as the increase forms a greater portion of a monthly bill than it does for wealthier or less efficient consumers. This decision is seen as a contrast to California’s virtual net energy metering scheme and predictions that the industry could lose up to 17,000 jobs by 2025 due to the changes in the NEM 3.0 changes.