FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FPL’S NET METERING PROCESS NOT USER-FRIENDLY
FPL MAKES NET METERING PROCESS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
Oakland Park, FL, (May 29th, 2019) – In the state of Florida, anyone who installs a solar PV system on their house is required to be connected to the power grid, which creates an interconnection between the solar PV user and the utility grid. This interconnection creates a Net Metering process, and it can be thought of as a two-way highway of electricity; excess electricity created by the PV system I sent to the grid, and electricity can be drawn from the gird if there is a power insufficiency.
Establishing this process requires signatures, agreements, understandings, and account setups between the power grid and the PV user. The most prominent electricity-generating company in Florida is Florida Power and Light (FP&L or FPL). FPL requires an application, an agreement, and documentation from the authority-having jurisdiction (AHJ) showing the final electrical inspection was approved. Once all of this has been presented to them, they (FPL) will swap the one-directional meter with a bi-directional meter and you can officially start enjoying your solar system. Sounds simple and straight-forward, right?
The problem is that Florida Power and Light’s net metering process is not user-friendly. They have made the net metering process almost impossible. Their platform gives the user (either the contractor or the homeowner) the ability to upload the documents required to set up the process into their system. FPL requires the permit card to show the permit number, the city it was installed, description work, and the inspector sign-off on the final electrical inspection. Almost every single permit card has the work description in the front of the permit card and the inspection list in the back of the card. The back of the card rarely contains the permit information; it is typically a table with inspection types and a blank box for inspector signature. Since the front of the card does not display a final electrical approval, and the back of the card does not show the other information required, FPL will reject it. They give the option of taking a screenshot of the website showing all this information. Most AHJ websites have a LONG list of inspections and scrolling all the way down to find the final electrical inspection moves it away from the top of the page displaying the permit information. Displaying their required information but in two separate images is grounds for rejection.
“This is ALWAYS an incredibly frustrating process for us as contractors”, said Ray Johnson, president and founder of Florida Solar One. “We finished a project over a month ago and have not been able to interconnect with the grid because FPL does not accept our documents. We have a permit card with the permit information in the front and the inspection result in the back, but since the front does not display the inspection result and the back does not display the permit information, they reject it.” Note, the AHJ’s website has the electrical inspection as 36th on their list and scrolling down hides the permit information from the top of the page. “They are asking us to fight with city hall, basically, and you never fight city hall,” said the homeowner, who has not been able to turn on his solar system.
It is a well-known fact that Florida Power and Light spends a great amount of time, effort, and resources into privatizing solar electricity and disincentivizing users to go solar independently. Making this net metering process not user-friendly is yet another attempt at controlling solar installations across the state. This net metering process should take about a week, but it has been well over a month and they still refuse to accept the information presented to them. It got so bad that the homeowner asked the chief electrician inspector himself to write a personalized email to FP&L with the information they require.
Florida Solar One is a Fort-Lauderdale based solar construction company serving the South Florida tri-county area. The solar panel installation company specializes in complex, battery back-up solar systems in Broward, Miami-Dade, and the Florida Keys. Established over 10 years ago, Florida Solar One is a nationally ranked and recognized solar contractor and unlimited electrical contractor.
If you would like more information about this topic, please call Florida Solar One at 954-236-4599, email them at info@floridasolarone.com, or visit them at 1024 NE 43rd Ct, Oakland Park, FL 33334