Customer-Owned Generation

As renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, become a larger part of the overall energy mix, New River Light and Power seeks innovative solutions to help support customer-owned renewable energy generation. These renewable resources play an important role in helping the High Country establish a cleaner energy future.

Rooftop solar is currently the form of customer-owned generation most explored by Boone residents.

Information to keep in mind when considering and installing rooftop solar:

Every utility company has its own connection policies, metering requirements and policies regarding solar installation.
Make sure you have all the information you need before signing an agreement and be cautious of potentially predatory solar providers and offers. Always ask for full quotes showing costs from start to finish. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
In addition to obtaining local permits, you are required to contact NRLP before installing your solar system.
In addition to contacting NRLP, customers must complete an interconnection request form for service and pay the associated processing fee.

NEW! Net Billing Rider

Beginning fall 2023, customers who generate their own energy using a photovoltaic, or solar, system can choose to take part in the new Net Billing Rider (NBR) program. The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) approved this latest program to support customer-owned generation in October. Additional details and requirements can be found here (PDF).

The NBR is designed so customers can use the energy generated by their system to offset their energy load received from NRLP. With this model, customers have one meter, and monthly energy bills are calculated based on energy consumed minus energy produced. Excess energy produced by the customer is compensated at the current retail rate and rolled over as a credit throughout the year. Credits are zeroed out each January 1.

In order to ensure NBR customers pay their full share of fixed costs as mandated by NC General Statute 62-126.4, a flat fee, or Supplemental Standby Charge, per kW of the solar system's designed capacity is required to be charged each month. The Standby Supplemental Charge varies by customer rate schedule.

If the NBR program is not right for you, NRLP continues to offer a Purchased Power for Renewable Energy Facilities Rate, or Schedule PPR, also known as the Buy All, Sell All (BASA) program. Please see the BASA section of our website for more information.

A third option is available for customers who wish to participate in a renewable energy program through NRLP’s Green Power Program. With no contract or costly equipment, the Green Power Program is an affordable and accessible renewable energy choice. Visit the program’s section of our website for more information.

For more information about fees and compensation rates, please visit the Rate Schedule section of our website.

NBR graphic

Purchased Power for Renewable Energy (PPR) aka Buy-All, Sell-All Solar Rate Program

NRLP offers a Purchased Power for Renewable Energy Facilities Schedule (PPR) also known as a buy-all, sell-all (BASA) program for customers who generate their own electricity through home or business solar installations. Additional details and requirements can be found here (PDF).

BASA is a method for small-scale renewable energy producers to connect to NRLP’s energy grid. In most cases, this involves installing two different meters: one that measures energy production and another that measures energy consumption.

The BASA compensation method credits and bills customers at separate rates for their total renewable energy system production and their total household energy consumption. The customer will continue to purchase power from NRLP as normal and all of the power that their customer-owned generation system produces will be purchased by NRLP.

The power produced through the customer-owned system will be credited at a rate approved by the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) — one that reflects the actual value of the customer’s generated energy. North Carolina General Statutes prohibit crediting customers more than the actual value of the generation, with the intent that no customer bears the cost of another customer due to on-site generation.

Under any solar program, NRLP does not seek to gain financially but must recover its utility and generation costs to meet state statutory requirements. NRLP is governed by the North Carolina Utilities Commission and its solar program offerings and rates are subject to NCUC approval.

BASA graphic

If you are considering a renewable energy system for your home or business, please contact the NRLP Technical Services Office prior to installation by calling 828-264-3671 or by emailing nrlp-csr@appstate.edu. If you are considering a system over 20 kW, please contact the Technical Services Office for further discussions.

Additionally, you must complete an interconnection request form for service and pay the associated processing fee. NRLP uses this fee to recover its utility and generation costs to meet state statutory requirements and does not seek to gain financially from it.

If you are interested in renewable energy but do not have the capabilities for your own renewable energy system, check out NRLP’s Green Power Program. With this program, you have the opportunity to purchase blocks of renewable energy to offset your monthly carbon-based electric use for just $5 extra per month.

Solar Comparison Tool

Not sure which customer-owned solar generation plan is right for you? Download the Solar Comparison Tool for your customer rate schedule — Residential, Commercial or Large Commercial with Demand. Use the tool to discover your potential costs and savings with each customer-owned generation program.

Residential Solar Comparison Tool (Excel)

Commercial Solar Comparison Tool (Excel)

Large Commercial with Demand Solar Comparison Tool (Excel)

This tool provides an estimate of average monthly electricity charges and savings from participation in one of two residential customer-owned solar generation programs: Net Billing Rider (NBR) and Buy All, Sell All (BASA – Schedule PPR). The information provided through the tool does not constitute an offer, contract or guarantee of electric bills or rates. Actual electricity bills will vary based upon a variety of factors, including future rate changes, actual solar facility output and actual household electricity usage, among other factors. Bill estimates may not include all applicable charges such as taxes and other miscellaneous charges.

Non-solar Customer-Owned Generation

Customers who wish to interconnect a non-solar distributed generation system, such as a wind turbine, hydroelectric or bioenergy system, are encouraged to contact the utility first. NRLP's original Buy All, Sell All program, Rate Schedule 97T, is available for non-solar generating customers. This Buy All, Sell All program requires customers to purchase all of their energy from the utility at retail rate and sell all energy produced by their non-solar distributed energy system at an adjusted avoided cost rate. Please note that rates vary based on the wholesale cost of energy. Contact our office to learn more.