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Tesla/SolarCity previously imposed unfair fees on potential solar power purchasers, which virtually killed the local solar market. Don't you mean SRP imposed u

Tesla/SolarCity previously imposed unfair fees on potential solar power purchasers, which virtually killed the local solar market. Don't you mean SRP imposed unfair fees? That's how I read the below snippet (without any background) Through its acquisition of SolarCity, Tesla took over a longstanding lawsuit against Salt River Project (SRP), an electric utility in Arizona, over the company’s practice of imposing “unfair” fees on potential solar power purchasers, which has virtually killed the local solar market.

maxyme 8y ago
As a former Arizona resident SRP is a federal government entity which makes them operate differently than most power companies. They operate the canals to bring water from the Colorado River to Arizona and became a power company at one point as well. There is an Arizona State law about the maximum monthly fee a power company can impose for net metering (allowing a residential consumer to sell back power for credits then buy power using those credits). Since SRP is a federal entity they do not need to follow that law. More info: https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/energy/2016/03/25/srp-data-shows-some-solar-customers-save-money-demand-rates/81886548/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/energy/2016/0...
- olivermarks 8y ago
  I may have been wrong on this then - I talked to someone from Arizona about SolarCity this year, seems the ideal place for solar to flourish. I still can't figure out if solarcity were part of the problem or part of the solution for affordable solar. https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2018/03/21/srp-tesla-settle-lawsuit-brought-by-solarcity.html https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2018/03/21/srp-tesl... There was some grumbling that Solarcity settled with SRP, but didn't solve the problem and entered into partnership with SRP that wasn't in consumers best interests.
  - tracker1 8y ago
    In the end, SRP is charging a LOT more for the power you do have to get from SRP. If you do solar with SRP, also get something like a couple Tesla walls. You don't want to get any more than you absolutely have to. The rates are like over half higher than non-solar customers. The rates for APS are weirdly restricted as well, but not bad.
- tracker1 8y ago
  APS is generally easier to get Solar with than SRP is... despite being federally funded, they are definitely protectionist by nature. They had to be sued multiple times to get what solar exists attached to SRP infrastructure.

maxyme 8y ago

As a former Arizona resident SRP is a federal government entity which makes them operate differently than most power companies. They operate the canals to bring water from the Colorado River to Arizona and became a power company at one point as well. There is an Arizona State law about the maximum monthly fee a power company can impose for net metering (allowing a residential consumer to sell back power for credits then buy power using those credits). Since SRP is a federal entity they do not need to follow that law. More info: https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/energy/2016/03/25/srp-data-shows-some-solar-customers-save-money-demand-rates/81886548/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/energy/2016/0...

olivermarks 8y ago
I may have been wrong on this then - I talked to someone from Arizona about SolarCity this year, seems the ideal place for solar to flourish. I still can't figure out if solarcity were part of the problem or part of the solution for affordable solar. https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2018/03/21/srp-tesla-settle-lawsuit-brought-by-solarcity.html https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2018/03/21/srp-tesl... There was some grumbling that Solarcity settled with SRP, but didn't solve the problem and entered into partnership with SRP that wasn't in consumers best interests.
- tracker1 8y ago
  In the end, SRP is charging a LOT more for the power you do have to get from SRP. If you do solar with SRP, also get something like a couple Tesla walls. You don't want to get any more than you absolutely have to. The rates are like over half higher than non-solar customers. The rates for APS are weirdly restricted as well, but not bad.
tracker1 8y ago
APS is generally easier to get Solar with than SRP is... despite being federally funded, they are definitely protectionist by nature. They had to be sued multiple times to get what solar exists attached to SRP infrastructure.