You will be eligible to receive net metering credits only after your unit is authorized to be online and you have provided:

• Evidence that you have received a Cap Allocation from the Administrator of the System of Assurance (see the MassACA website). Simplified systems (less than 10 kW AC single phase and less than or equal to 25 kW AC three phase) are exempt from the Cap Allocation requirement;
• A complete and accurate Schedule Z;
• For agricultural net metering facilities, a determination from the Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources that a business is an agricultural business and that the net metering facility is operated as part of that business; and
• For anaerobic digestion net metering facilities, a determination from the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), in coordination with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), that the facility qualifies under DOER’s regulations as a Class I renewable energy generating source pursuant to DOER’s Renewable Portfolio Standards regulations.
• For net metering facilities seeking classification as a municipality or other governmental entity, a participant must file an application with the DPU. The application and instructions are available on the MassACA website. Once approved, the DPU will assign a public entity classification number.

There are three situations where a municipality or other government entity would need to obtain a classification number from the DPU:

• The public entity wants to qualify for net metering as a municipality or other governmental entity.
• The public entity is already taking advantage of net metering and wants to qualify as a municipality or other governmental entity.
• The public entity is going to receive net metering credits from a different public entity.

There are two types of customers, Host and Beneficiary. Host customers may produce excess generation. Credits from this generation may be applied to the same account or allocated for the benefit of other customer accounts (via a Schedule Z form).

No. Net metering credits can be allocated to other electric accounts within the service territory and ISO load zone of the Host Customer account consistent with Section 1.07 of the Net Metering Tariff.  Net metering credits cannot be allocated across the company’s Eastern and Western Massachusetts territories.

In general, the net metering credit is calculated by multiplying excess generation (kWh) by the appropriate rate for each of the following charges:

• Basic Service fixed charge;
• Distribution charge;
• Transmission charge;
• Transition charge.

Applicability will vary based on the solar facilities application profile.  More information can be found in the company’s Net Metering Tariff.

Rates for Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, and Distributed Solar are excluded.

No. As a one-time courtesy only, Class I and Class II customers with large credit balances may complete and submit a Schedule Z form to transfer 100% of their credit balances to other customer account(s) in the same ISO load zone; and that form must be accompanied by a second Schedule Z form to update their future allocations to prevent the accumulation of a large credit balance again.

Per the tariff: For any Billing Period that a Host Customer earns Net Metering Credits, the Distribution Company shall allocate Net Metering Credits by applying them to a designated Customer’s account. The Distribution Company shall carry forward, from Billing Period to Billing Period, any remaining Net Metering Credit balance.

No. If a customer closes their account (for example, moves out), the residual net metering credit will be used to offset net metering recovery surcharges for all customers.  Alternatively, the customer may submit a final Schedule Z before the account closes to transfer the credit balance to other customer account(s), including the new move-in account, provided they are in the same ISO load zone as the account being closed.

No. However, Net Metering Credits may be cashed out to Class III Net Metering Facilities at the discretion of the company.

It usually takes about three weeks from the point Eversource's Billing department receives the meter reads to the processing of a check by our Accounts Payable department.

Yes, if the net metering credit is large enough, it is used to pay off the Host Customer’s distribution and supplier balances in full.

In Eastern Massachusetts, if the net metering credit is not large enough to fully pay off the Host Customer’s bill and there is a supplier balance, the credit is split 50/50 for non-low income customers and 35/65 for low income customers.

In Western Massachusetts, if the net metering credit is not large enough to fully pay off the Host Customer’s bill and there is a supplier balance, the credit is applied to the supplier balance first with the remainder to delivery.

If there is no supplier balance, e.g. the current supplier balance is zero, and the customer does not allocate the credit, it remains on the distribution portion of the account.

A new schedule Z may be submitted twice in a calendar year.

Certain areas of the Eversource electric distribution system in the City of Boston and the surrounding area may present challenges for interconnecting a solar PV system.

Eversource customers in this region, known as the Area Network, should be aware that while some locations may be able to accommodate a solar PV system interconnection, other locations may be less suitable.

Please read our Important Notice to Eversource Customers located in the Boston Area Network and Surrounding Regions for more information

If you're a customer in Eastern Massachusetts, your net metering credits will appear under “Other Charges or Credits” on your current month’s bill. The line item will state “Net Mtr Crdt" along with the dollar amount of the credit.

For customers in Western Massachusetts, your net metering credits will appear under “Other Charges or Credits” on your current month’s bill. The line item will state “Net Metering Credit" along with the dollar amount of the credit.

If you're a customer in Eastern Massachusetts, on the Host Customer bill, the section, "Other Charges or Credits," contains the detail for the individual "Transfer Amounts" of net metering credits that were completed in the current month as directed in the Host Customer's completed Schedule Z form.

For Western Massachusetts customers, on the Host Customer bill, the section, "Other Charges or Credits," contains the detail for the individual Net Metering Transfers that were completed in the current month as directed in the Host Customer's completed Schedule Z form. 

The amount of excess generation is shown on the Net Generation Credit line item of the bill. Excess generation exported to Eversource is calculated by taking the difference between metered energy purchased and sold.

For Eastern Massachusetts, on the Beneficiary Customer’s bill, the section, "Other Charges or Credits," contains the amount of the net metering credit transferred from the Host Customer’s account (“Transfer Amount”) as outlined in the example below.

For Western Massachusetts, on the Beneficiary Customer’s bill, the section, "Other Charges or Credits," contains the amount of the net metering credit transferred from the Host Customer’s account (“Transfer Amount”) as outlined in the example below.

The amount available to be allocated is equal to the current month's net metering credit less any Host Customer's charges. The calculation for the net metering credit is a line item under "Other Charges or Credits" and host customer charges are indicated under "Total Charges for Electricity."

Eversource requires the Host Customer to have an approved Schedule Z on file. The Beneficiaries and allocation percentages are designated on the Schedule Z form by the Host Customer. The Host customer bill will display the allocated credit amounts in the "Other Charges or Credits" section.

This is a new credit applied to certain customers who install solar generation after Sept. 26, 2016 per legislation that was signed into law in April 2016.

The Market Net Metering Credit is equal to 60 percent of the distribution, transmission, transition and Basic Service rates per kWh.

The Market Net Metering Credit is effective September 26, 2016.

No. Customers who install solar will be exempt from the Market Net Metering Credit for 25 years from the date of when their Solar Net Metering Facility went online if they:

• Submitted an Application for Cap Allocation (ACA) by September 26, 2016 at 2 p.m.
• The ACA was deemed completed by the Administrator of System of Assurance
• The cap allocation was granted by January 8, 2017.

No. The following customers are exempt from the Market Net Metering Credit for an unspecified number of years until there is a change in the statutory regulations:

• Host customers that are designated by the Department of Public Utilities as a Net Metering Facility of a Municipality or Other Governmental Entity.
• A Class I Net Metering Facility that has a nameplate rating equal to or less than 10 kW on a single-phase circuit; or 25 kW on a three-phase circuit.