How do SaskPowers Small Producers Policy and Net Metering programs work?
SaskPower has two programs in place to enable Saskatchewan customers to connect their own power generation systems (solar, wind, bioenergy, hydro, and heat recovery) to the grid. The Small Power Producers Policy allows customers to sell electricity to SaskPower in accordance with a power purchase agreement. The agreement is a 20-year term and negotiates the annual rate at which the electricity will be sold. The 2010 price paid for electricity is 9.421/kWh. SaskPowers Net Metering program also allows homeowners to offset their electricity consumption with the electricity that is generated from their renewable energy generators (typically wind or solar). In this program, a bi-directional meter records the amount of electricity generated by the customer. If the amount of electricity generated exceeds the amount of electricity consumed in any given month, the customer receives a credit on their power bill which can be used in future months when they consume more than they generate.
