City, El Paso Electric To Draw Up Net Metering Plan

After dozens of complaints from El Paso residents who have solar panels on their homes, El Paso Electric and the city will work together to create a net metering plan.

ABC-7 reported last week on one woman who found out that she owed the electric utility more than $2,000 in bills for four months despite selling the utility electricity she generates with her solar panels.

That resident is among quite a few who were outraged to find that even though they were being paid $0.03 per kilowatt for the electricity they generated, they were among the general consumers being charged $0.10 per kilowatt for using the electricity.

The net metering plan will allow those who generate power to receive retail credit for a portion of the electricity they generate.

While the motion passed with a majority vote, East-Mission Valley City Representative Eddie Holguin, Jr. was the one council member who voted against it.

“People (who) can afford solar will no longer have an electric bill,” Holguin claimed. “But people who can’t afford to put solar (panels) on their homes will see their bills going up… Basically subsidizing the solar energy of people’s homes.”

City Council will have staff work with the electric company to figure out how the net metering will work.

Look for more in-depth coverage of this story on ABC-7’s later newscasts Wednesday.