N. Mariana Islands - Net Metering

January 04, 2024

Summary

The Commonwealth Utility Corporation (CUC), the only public utility in the N. Marianas, is required to offer net metering to its commercial and residential retail electricity customers for renewable energy systems up to 10 megawatts (MW). Net metering was recently prioritized for the public health and education sectors through Public Law 18 - 75.

Renewables include: electrical energy produced by wind, solar energy, hydro power, landfill gas, waste to energy, geothermal resources, ocean thermal energy conversion, ocean wave or current energy, biomass, including municipal solid waste, bio fuels, or fuels derived from organic sources (other than coal, oil or gas), hydrogen fuels derived from renewable energy, or fuel cells where the fuel is derived from renewable sources.

According to Public Law 15-23 CUC was within its right to issue a moratorium on net metering: "CUC may impose a moratorium on providing new service to customers or upgrading service to existing customers, if CUC determines that such new service would overburden the existing distribution or generation capacity." However, Public Law 18-62 states that CUC must "authorize and implement" net metering service for all residential customers despite any CUC moratorium or regulation.

Net Excess Generation

For a net electricity producer, CUC is not entitled to ordinarily pay the customer monthly, it may use the customer’s excess electricity generated during the monthly billing period. If the eligible customer-generator has for a 12-month period, generated a net excess of electricity, CUC can buy the excess at 50% of the rate applicable to the net energy metering calculation, or for such higher rate to which the customer and CUC have agreed in a purchase agreement for excess electricity production. CUC will pay the customer within the next billing month.

Meter Aggregation Provisions

The aggregate capacity limit of all net-metered systems on the island of Saipan, Tinian, or Rota, cannot independently exceed 30% of CUC's system peak demand on the island where the system is located.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector:	State
Category:	Regulatory Policy
State:	N. Mariana Islands
Incentive Type:	Net Metering
Web Site:
Administrator:
Start Date:
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:	Solar Water Heat Geothermal Electric Solar Photovoltaics Wind (All) Biomass Hydroelectric Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Gas Wave Ocean Thermal Fuel Cells using Renewable Fuels
Applicable Utilities:	Commonwealth Utility Corporation
System Capacity Limit:	No more than 10 MW.
Aggregate Capacity Limit:	No more than 30% of utility's peak demand on the island where the system is located.
Net Excess Generation:	Excess electricity production is credited to the customer's bill at retail rate. Any excess remaining after a 12 mont billing period is credited at 50% of the retail rate.
Ownership of Renewable Energy Credits:	Not applicable.
Meter Aggregation:	Not applicable.

Authorities

Name:	Public Law 15-23
Date Enacted:	08/10/2006
Effective Date:	08/10/2006

Name:	Public Law 18-62
Date Enacted:	09/04/2014
Effective Date:	09/04/2014

Name:	Public Law 18-75
Date Enacted:	02/13/2015
Effective Date:	03/13/2015

Name:

4 CMC § 8531, et seq.

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.