62-159.2. Direct renewable energy procurement for major military installations, public universities, and large customers.
(a) Each electric public utility providing retail electric service to more than 150,000 North Carolina retail jurisdictional customers as of January 1, 2017, shall file with the Commission an application requesting approval of a new program applicable to major military installations, as that term is defined in G.S. 143-215.115(1), The University of North Carolina, as established in Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes, and other new and existing nonresidential customers with either a contract demand (i) equal to or greater than one megawatt (MW) or (ii) at multiple service locations that, in aggregate, is equal to or greater than five megawatts (MW).
(b) Each public utility's program application required by this section shall provide standard contract terms and conditions for participating customers and for renewable energy suppliers from which the electric public utility procures energy and capacity on behalf of the participating customer. The application shall allow eligible customers to select the new renewable energy facility from which the electric public utility shall procure energy and capacity. The standard terms and conditions available to renewable energy suppliers shall provide a range of terms, between two years and 20 years, from which the participating customer may elect. Eligible customers shall be allowed to negotiate with renewable energy suppliers regarding price terms.
(c) Each contracted amount of capacity shall be limited to no more than one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the maximum annual peak demand of the eligible customer premises. Each public utility shall establish reasonable credit requirements for financial assurance for eligible customers that are consistent with the Uniform Commercial Code of North Carolina. Major military installations and The University of North Carolina are exempt from the financial assurance requirements of this section. The requirements of this subsection shall apply except as otherwise provided by law.
(d) The program shall be offered by the electric public utilities subject to this section for a period of five years or until December 31, 2022, whichever is later, and shall not exceed a combined 600 megawatts (MW) of total capacity. For the public utilities subject to this section, where a major military installation is located within its Commission-assigned service territory, at least 100 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy facility capacity offered under the program shall be reserved for participation by major military installations. At least 250 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy facility capacity offered under the programs shall also be reserved for participation by The University of North Carolina. Major military installations and The University of North Carolina must fully subscribe to all their allocations prior to December 31, 2020, or a period of no more than three years after approval of the program, whichever is later. If any portion of total capacity set aside to major military installations or The University of North Carolina is not used, it shall be reallocated for use by any eligible program participant. If any portion of the 600 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity provided for in this section is not awarded prior to the expiration of the program, it shall be reallocated to and included in a competitive procurement in accordance with G.S. 62-110.8(a). The requirements of this subsection shall apply except as otherwise provided by law.
(e) In addition to the participating customer's normal retail bill, the total cost of any renewable energy and capacity procured by or provided by the electric public utility for the benefit of the program customer shall be paid by that customer. The electric public utility shall pay the owner of the renewable energy facility which provided the electricity. The program customer shall receive a bill credit for the energy as determined by the Commission; provided, however, that the bill credit shall not exceed utility's avoided cost. The Commission shall ensure that all other customers are held neutral, neither advantaged nor disadvantaged, from the impact of the renewable electricity procured on behalf of the program customer. (2017-192, s. 3(a); 2021-180, s. 11.19(f2).)
Structure North Carolina General Statutes
North Carolina General Statutes
Article 7 - Rates of Public Utilities.
§ 62-130 - Commission to make rates for public utilities.
§ 62-131 - Rates must be just and reasonable; service efficient.
§ 62-133.1 - Small water and sewer utility rates.
§ 62-133.1A - Fair value determination of government-owned water and wastewater systems.
§ 62-133.1B - Water and Sewer Investment Plan ratemaking mechanism authorized.
§ 62-133.2 - Fuel and fuel-related charge adjustments for electric utilities.
§ 62-133.4 - Gas cost adjustment for natural gas local distribution companies.
§ 62-133.5 - Alternative regulation, tariffing, and deregulation of telecommunications utilities.
§ 62-133.6 - Environmental compliance costs recovery.
§ 62-133.7A - Rate adjustment mechanism for natural gas local distribution company rates.
§ 62-133.8 - Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).
§ 62-133.9 - Cost recovery for demand-side management and energy efficiency measures.
§ 62-133.11 - Rate adjustment for changes in costs based on third-party rates.
§ 62-133.12A - Customer usage tracking rate adjustment mechanisms for water and wastewater rates.
§ 62-133.12B - Computation of income tax expense for ratemaking purposes; taxable contributions.
§ 62-133.16 - Performance-based regulation authorized.
§ 62-133.20 - Cleanfields renewable energy demonstration parks.
§ 62-134 - Change of rates; notice; suspension and investigation.
§ 62-135 - Temporary rates under bond.
§ 62-137 - Scope of rate case.
§ 62-139 - Rates varying from schedule prohibited; refunding overcharge; penalty.
§ 62-140 - Discrimination prohibited.
§ 62-141 - Long and short hauls.
§ 62-142 - Contracts as to rates.
§ 62-143 - Schedule of rates to be evidence.
§ 62-144 - Free transportation.
§ 62-145 - Rates between points connected by more than one route.
§ 62-146 - Rates and service of motor common carriers of property.
§ 62-146.1 - Rates and service of bus companies.
§ 62-148 - Rates on leased or controlled utility.
§ 62-149 - Unused tickets to be redeemed.
§ 62-150 - Ticket may be refused intoxicated person; penalty for prohibited entry.
§ 62-151 - Passenger refusing to pay fare or violating rules may be ejected.
§ 62-152.1 - Uniform rates; joint rate agreements among carriers.
§ 62-152.2 - Standard transportation practices.
§ 62-153 - Contracts of public utilities with certain companies and for services.
§ 62-154 - Surplus power rates.
§ 62-155 - Electric power rates to promote conservation.
§ 62-156 - Power sales by small power producers to public utilities.
§ 62-157 - Telecommunications relay service.
§ 62-158 - Natural gas expansion.
§ 62-159 - Additional funding for natural gas expansion.