How Rocky Mountain Power Has Systematically Dismantled Solar Benefits for Homeowners
For years, Rocky Mountain Power has chipped away at the financial benefits of residential solar energy, making it harder for homeowners to take control of their power bills and invest in energy independence. What started as a fair and balanced system under Schedule 135 has slowly transformed into an unfair, utility-favoring program that drastically reduces the value of customer-generated solar power.
This isn’t just about a few cents per kilowatt-hour. These changes represent a calculated, deliberate attack on homeowners who want to reduce their reliance on the utility company, lower their bills, and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future. Let’s dive into exactly how Rocky Mountain Power has made solar worse for everyday people like you—and why it matters.
Schedule 135: The Golden Era of Net Metering (Before 2017)
What It Offered:
1:1 Net Metering – Every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy produced by solar panels was credited at the full retail rate, essentially making the electric meter spin backward.
Fair Credit Rollovers – If a home generated more solar power than it used in a month, those credits carried over to offset future bills at full value.
True Energy Independence – This program encouraged homeowners to install solar by ensuring that every kWh they produced was just as valuable as the electricity the utility provided.
Why It Was Fair:
If you produced 1,000 kWh and only used 800 kWh, you got full credit for the extra 200 kWh at the rate you paid for electricity.
Your solar investment paid itself off in a reasonable timeframe.
It was a win-win for both homeowners and the environment.
But then, the utility company started to chip away at your rights.
Schedule 136: The “Transition Program” (2017–2020) – A Step Backward
By 2017, Rocky Mountain Power decided that paying homeowners a fair price for their solar energy was too much to handle. They lobbied to change the rules, and what followed was the beginning of a systematic rollback of solar incentives.
What Changed for Homeowners?
Lower Compensation:
Instead of full retail value, exported energy was now credited at 9.2 cents per kWh—a 10–20% loss compared to Schedule 135.
Solar customers were now selling electricity back to the grid at a discount, while still paying full price for electricity when they needed it.
New Billing Tactics to Reduce Your Savings:
Instead of a simple net metering setup, Rocky Mountain Power introduced a 15-minute interval measurement system, meaning credits were calculated in smaller increments.
This made it harder for customers to offset their electricity bills effectively
Annual Expiration of Credits:
Any unused credits at the end of the annual billing period disappeared—a blatant way for the utility company to pocket your excess energy without fairly compensating you.
This was a direct hit to homeowners. It increased the payback time for solar investments, reduced the financial appeal of going solar, and forced customers into a system designed to benefit the utility rather than the individual.
But Rocky Mountain Power didn’t stop there.
Schedule 137: The “Solar Punishment Plan” (2021–Present)
Under Schedule 137, the utility company took another major swing at residential solar, further slashing the compensation rate for excess energy exported to the grid.
What Changed?
Even Lower Export Rates – A Pay Cut for Solar Owners
Summer (June–September): 7.715 cents per kWh
Winter (October–May): 6.372 cents per kWh
This is nearly a 30% reduction compared to Schedule 136 and a 40–50% drop from Schedule 135.
Meanwhile, the cost of electricity keeps rising, meaning the gap between what you’re paid and what you’re charged has never been greater.
More Complexity, More Fees, Less Fairness
The 15-minute interval system remains in place, making it harder than ever to maximize solar savings.
Homeowners still have to pay minimum monthly fees regardless of how much solar energy they produce.
All excess credits continue to expire annually—meaning Rocky Mountain Power gets to keep any extra solar power you generate without paying you fairly for it.
Rocky Mountain Power Solar Punishment for Homeowners
You produce energy for Rocky Mountain Power at a discount, but you buy it back at full price.
Your ability to recoup your solar investment is shrinking each year.
The company wants to make solar less attractive so you remain dependent on the grid.
The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Homeowners
This isn’t just about math—it’s about your right to energy freedom.
Rocky Mountain Power wants you to believe solar isn’t worth it. They want to discourage homeowners from investing in energy independence so they can continue to profit while you pay more.
Why Should You Care?
Solar is still the best way to reduce your energy costs long-term.
You can fight back by installing a battery storage system to keep more of your solar energy instead of giving it away at a discount.
You have the power to demand fairer policies.
How Do We Fight Back?
Spread the Word – Many homeowners still don’t realize how much the utility company has changed the rules against them.
Push for Policy Change – Demand a return to fair net metering policies that support, rather than punish, solar customers.
Invest in Battery Storage – By storing excess energy instead of sending it to the grid, you can reduce your reliance on the utility company and protect your solar investment.
Support Pro-Solar Legislation – Keep an eye on local and state energy policies to prevent further rollbacks.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let the Utility Win
What started as a fair system (Schedule 135) that encouraged clean energy and financial savings for homeowners has turned into a utility-controlled scheme (Schedule 137) designed to benefit only one side—Rocky Mountain Power.
The message is clear:
The utility company does not want you to go solar.
They want to make sure they control the energy—and your wallet.
You have the right to fight back by making solar work for you, despite their attempts to take away its value.
Don’t let Rocky Mountain Power steal the value of your solar energy. Take action, educate others, and demand better. Rocky Mountain Power Solar Punishment for Homeowners
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