Solar Supporters: Hearing On New Solar Metering Rules In Belmont Tonight

This is a note to all my readers that there’s an important meeting at the Town Hall auditorium this evening at 7:00 PM concerning Belmont Light’s policies for supporting residents who wish to switch to solar power.

Belmont residents who use solar power could find themselves paying the town for energy they generate and give back to the grid under new rules proposed by Belmont Municipal Light Department.

Belmont residents who use solar power could find themselves paying the town for energy they generate and give back to the grid under new rules proposed by Belmont Municipal Light Department.

You might not know, but Belmont Municipal Light is weighing a series of rules changes about how it reimburses residents who have solar panels on their homes. Long and short: the proposed “net metering” policies would change Belmont from a town that reimburses residents for extra power that they generate and give back to the grid to actually _charging_ residents for the power they consume and generate. That’s right: you can give electricity back to the grid for BMLD to use or sell, and pay for the privilege of doing it.

Here’s how Sustainable Belmont describes the proposed rule change, dubbed “Phase III”:

Phase III
MLAB is now proposing to enter Phase II only as an interim measure. Phase II would begin this fall as planned, but without the energy production caps in place. Phase III, which MLAB has termed “wholesale net metering”, would begin once new billing processes are developed. Under this phase, solar customers would pay retail rate for all their energy consumption, whether they generated it themselves or not. These customers would receive wholesale rates for all the energy they produce. Click here for a full description of the proposed Phase III.

At a hearing in the Belmont Town Hall Auditorium this evening, the Selectmen (who also act as the Town’s light board) will hear comments from the community on this policy.

Needless to say: changing our town from one that encourages solar adoption to one that, in essence, punishes residents from choosing solar is a step that is 180 degrees in the wrong direction. Residents should make an effort to turn out to Town Hall this evening at 7:00 and make their voices heard. Even if you don’t use solar – and have no intention of using solar – its important for Belmont to put itself on the right side of history and common sense here: crafting a policy that both supports residential adoption of renewables and supports the continuing operation of BMLD.

Sustainable Belmont has a nice write up of the issue on their website here. Read it and then head on down to Town Hall to show your support for solar in Belmont.