Loudon Utilities Board pulled back Monday on the approval of a new customer service agreement that would regulate installation and use of solar power.
Electric Director Bill Watkins suggested at a Jan. 10 workshop an amendment to the agreement that would protect the utility from potential problems and create code guidelines for customers installing solar power.
The agreement would follow TVA guidelines and was modeled on an existing policy used by Knoxville Utilities Board.
City Manager Ty Ross introduced the Interconnection, Metering and Parallel Operation agreement, noting the utility had received several requests for rooftop solar but had no existing guidelines.
The motion was on the floor when Watkins related concerns about customers embarking on solar installations without sufficient information. He said customers look to the utility for guidance on such matters.
Watkins suggested it might be a good idea if the utility had a piece of paper or pamphlet that could provide advice for customers thinking about installing solar. He said customers are not always fully informed about how much money they will save on their power bill.
He gave the example of a recent customer interaction where he noted the homeowner had solar panels installed on a steep roof on the south and north sides of the home. Such an installation might not be as efficient as expected, he said, adding that he wondered whether the customer had been given estimates of how many kilowatts the system might produce.
Watkins said he was concerned customers not satisfied with the performance of their solar installation might blame the utility.
Board Member Gene Farmer suggested the motion be tabled until the options for providing customer guidance could be explored.
Board Chairman Don Campbell agreed approval of the amendment might be premature.
βI think this is something we need to put off,β Campbell said.
Watkins said he would research the issue of providing guidance to solar customers and report back. In addition to estimating power produced by an installation, he said he would consider making sure customers were informed about tax credits and the life cycle of solar equipment.
In an unrelated matter, LUB unanimously approved a contract with Rob Ellis of TriStar Energy Services to provide consultation on issues related to natural gas management. The $1,250 monthly fee will provide for an integrated resource plan, a five-year load forecast and advice on system growth, natural gas hedging and a daily load forecast model.
βIs this guy going to make us money?β Campbell asked.
The contract would be on a month-to-month basis. Board Member Bert Watson suggested the board evaluate the contract in three months.
Ross said getting advice on available natural gas sourcing options was important. With aging infrastructure and various sources of natural gas supply, he said he thought advice from a consultant would be helpful in the future.
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