This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The reasons given by Rocky Mountain Power for adjusting the net metering rate are untrue. Rooftop solar is the most efficient and cost-effective way to power the grid and saves them money.
1. Fifty percent of the energy produced by a plant is lost to heat getting the energy to your home. Local injection from solar eliminates that loss.
2. The most expensive parts of the grid are the high voltage transfer lines and step down transformers. The heat produced under high loads greatly shortens the life of this equipment. Local injection lowers the workload, making the equipment last longer.
3. The grid is most stressed on hot summer afternoons when we are cooling our homes. This is the point at which the high voltage transfer gear is least efficient and sustaining the most damage due to heat. It is also when rooftop solar is the most effective at creating power and lowering the grid workload.
RMP is banking on the average citizen not knowing any of this. I have zero affiliation with the solar industry. I just know enough to see through the lie. We need to move forward with our energy. This is a step backwards.
David Hallock
Murray