We support renewable energy and partner with our customers to ensure safe and reliable interconnection of renewable energy into the electric grid.
The Council of the District of Columbia enacted the Community Renewable Energy Act of 2013 (CREA) on October 17, 2013 and the Act became Law effective December 13, 2013. Community Net Metering (CNM) provides an opportunity for Pepco customers in the District of Columbia to benefit from renewable energy production. By purchasing a Subscription to a portion of the electricity generated by a Community Renewable Energy Facility (CREF), a customer will receive a credit on Pepco bills for that share of the value of the CREF’s energy production.
Pepco began accepting applications for CREFs as of June 1, 2016. Preparations are being completed to allow CREFs to begin operation on or after July 1, 2016.
View Pepco's step-by-step guide to community solar in the District of Columbia.
The four main participants in Community Net Metering are:
Subscribers – Pepco customers within the District of Columbia who have contracted with a Subscriber Organization for shares of, or Subscriptions to, the electricity generated by a Community Renewable Energy Facility (CREF). Subscribers will receive a Community Net Metering (CNM) credit on their Pepco bills. Subscribers must identify a Pepco account (Contract Account) to which the Subscription shall be attributed. Subscribers can buy their energy supply from Pepco or a Competitive Electricity Supplier. A customer can obtain Subscriptions to more than one CREF and will receive a CNM Credit for each Subscription, shown as separate lines on the Subscriber’s Pepco bill. The value of the CNM Credit for a Subscription will equal the CREF electricity production for the month times the Subscriber’s Subscription percentage times the CREF Credit Rate set by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. The CNM Credit and the CREF Credit Rate are described in greater detail below. Subscribers can sell, transfer or cancel their Subscriptions without a Pepco charge. However, Subscribers may have limitations on or cost placed on these transactions under the contract with their Subscriber Organization. Customers looking to purchase a Subscription should read and fully understand PEPCO’s CNM Rider and their contract with the Subscriber Organization.
Subscriber Organization – this entity sells shares in, or Subscriptions to, the electricity production of a CREF to Pepco's customers within the District of Columbia. The Subscriber Organization will submit a Community Renewable Energy Facility Application and Contract to Pepco concurrently with the Generator Facility’s Interconnection Application.
The Subscriber Organization will provide Pepco with a list of its Subscribers and will inform Pepco of Subscription changes, transfers and cancellations using the Subscriber Information Spreadsheet. Subscriber information is not required at the time that the Generator Owner submits an Interconnection Application. A CREF must have at least 2 subscribers before receiving Authorization to Operate and must maintain at least 2 subscribers to continue operations.
Community Renewable Energy Facility – generates electricity using renewable sources, usually from solar arrays. Eligible sources also include wind, tidal, geothermal, biomass, hydroelectric facilities, and digester gas. The facility must be located in the District of Columbia. The electricity will be fed onto the grid and will be used as part of Pepco’s energy supply. The Generator Owner must follow the standard interconnection application process. The rules are defined in Title 15, Chapter 40 of the D.C. Municipal Regulations. In order to receive Authorization to Operate, the owner of the CREF must execute a DC CREF Interconnection Application and Addendum.
Pepco – Pepco receives and processes the DC CREF Application and Contract and the Subscriber Information Spreadsheet submitted by the Subscriber Organization.
In its review, Pepco verifies the Subscriber information provided in the Subscriber Information Spreadsheet; ensures the total of all Subscription percentages for the CREF does not exceed 100% of the generation output of the facility, and that each Subscriber has not subscribed to more than 120% of his or her historical annual energy consumption, including any Subscriptions to other CREFS; and verifies that all other required information has been accurately provided. The process includes updating the Subscribers’ Pepco billing records and setting up the process to place CNM Credits on a customer’s bill.
Pepco also pays the Subscriber Organization for any unsubscribed renewable energy produced by the CREF.
Pepco is not a party to the contractual arrangements between the Subscriber Organization and Generator Owner or the Subscriber Organization and its Subscribers.
For residential customers, the CREF Credit Rate is the full retail rate, which includes generation, transmission and distribution charges for the Standard Offer Service General Service Low Voltage Non-Demand Customer class or its successor, as determined by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, based upon Section 118 of the CREA. For commercial customers, the CREF Credit Rate is the Standard Offer Service Rate – including generation and transmission charges for the General Service Low Voltage Non-Demand Customer class or its successor, as determined by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, based upon Section 118 of the CREA.
Any net costs for the implementation of Community Net Metering incurred by the Company that are approved by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia shall be recovered solely through a CREF Administrative Charge on Subscribers. Currently no CREF Administrative Charge has been approved by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia.
The current Pepco District of Columbia CREF Credit Rate can be found here.
DC CREF Level 2 3 4 Application and Addendum —includes the CREF Addendum which supplements the existing Small Generator Interconnection Agreement to account for distinctions related to CREFs
CREF Tariff
DC CREF Application and Contract -- explains the terms under which the Subscriber Organization sells the electricity produced by the CREFs to the SOS Administrator
CREF Subscriber Information Spreadsheet -- to be submitted by the Subscriber Organization whenever there are new or deleted subscriptions or changes to subscriber percentages
CREF Tariff
CNM Rider -- provides information to customers and potential Subscriber Organizations regarding eligibility for Community Net Metering (CNM)
Sample Residential Customer Bill with CREF Subscription
Sample Commercial Customer Bill with CREF Subscription
Pepco’s Guide to Community Solar in the District of Columbia
CREF Commonly Used Terms and Frequently Asked Questions
The Council of the District of Columbia enacted the Community Renewable Energy Act of 2013 (CREA) on October 17, 2013, and the Act became Law effective December 13, 2013.
The National Conference of State Legislatures has updated information on states implementing community net metering.
Our Power Campaign offers communities a toolkit to help neighborhoods establish community net metering.
A Guide to Community Solar from the U.S. Department of Energy contains useful information for utility, private, and nonprofit projects.
