Dive Brief:

• Thousands of NV Energy customers with solar installations in the application process have not opted in to they are eligible for under the controversial net metering decision at the end of 2015, leading the utility and solar installers to ask regulators for an extension of time for system owners to apply.
• Last year, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada voted to allow rooftop solar customers to retain net metering rates it eliminated in 2015. Along with that decision, regulators allowed about 8,000 customers with active applications to opt-in for the same rate, with the deadline set for February of this year. 
• NV Energy, SolarCity, Sunrun and other solar installers have asked the PUC to extend the period to apply for net metering rates to July 1.

Dive Insight:

More than 23,000 customers with systems already installed were were automatically grandfathered in to net metering rates in December of 2015. NV Energy explained that another 8,000 customers were required to opt-in to the grandfathered rates by notifying the utility by the end of February of this year. 

"As of that deadline, less than 30 percent of these customers had opted into the grandfathered rates," the utility said in a statement. "The parties are optimistic that with additional time, more eligible customers will elect to opt into the program at grandfathered rates."

The utility and solar installers have asked for an expedited decision on the joint request.

In late 2015, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) voted to end net metering and replace it with a new rate structure which lowered remuneration from the retail rate to a credit of $0.09/kWh from $0.11/kWh—with the credit eventually declining to $0.026/kWh by 2020.

The decision also created a separate rate class for solar customers and raised fixed charges for them while reducing volumetric rates. After much furor—and the exit of two leading installers from the state—the commission voted to grandfather in rates for existing systems and those with active applications.

The PUCN later unanimously voted to restore full retail rate net metering to NV Energy subsidiary Sierra Pacific Power's service territory in northern Nevada.