Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

letters to the editor:

Utility should look out for customers

Regarding “It’s time for NV Energy, PUC to embrace future in innovative ways” (Las Vegas Sun, Sept. 27):

In your excellent editorial, you ask how much rooftop-solar customers should pay for the use of NV Energy’s distribution grid.

Rooftop-solar customers pay about $18 a month for a two-way meter. When the system is producing excess energy, the excess is loaned to NV Energy, which sells it to a nearby neighbor at a price that includes the use of the grid even though an infinitesimal amount of the grid is used. Thus, when the rooftop-solar owner withdraws energy that he or she has loaned, the grid usage already has been paid for within the neighbor’s normal rate. This makes net metering fair for both the rooftop-solar owner and NV Energy. The benefits to the Earth and cost savings to NV Energy during very hot days are bonuses.

NV Energy should be looking out for the interests of its customers rather than its bottom line. After all, NV Energy is guaranteed a high level of profit. Many municipalities — St. George, Utah, for one — run their own electric utility. Maybe it is time for us to consider a public utility who will, by its nature, be respectful of the state’s residents and not the bottom line of wealthy owners.

Finally, NV Energy is not guaranteed a certain amount of business. It may eventually have to shrink its business as more residents choose to opt for solar. Businesses adjust to changing conditions all the time.

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