Duke Power squashes my solar energy proposal

North Carolina supposedly encourages alternative energy. We're supposedly working towards "net metering" (here's a similar program in Washington State) and interconnectivity. But Duke Power, our Goliath, isn't cooperating.

In August 2004 David Wilson, a solar engineer from the western part of the state, designed a solar system for me, which we submitted for inclusion in Duke Power's Rider PV, its Photovoltaic System Pilot Program which "is available at the company’s option for up to 25 residential and nonresidential customers." (Read more specious drivel from Duke Power here.)

On Nov. 15, Duke's Dwight W. Moore wrote:

I have forwarded your information to Distribution Standards and to Metering services. They will review the information and confirm compliance with the PV rider. Someone will contact you to schedule a meeting at the PV site to inspect the delivery in detail.

The Duke Power guys walked around in the woods and took pictures of the power pole that services my home! And a mere two months later Dwight wrote that our setup meets the requirements! However:

At this time I cannot approve your application submitted to participate in the Rider PV (NC) program. The Insurance information you submitted was not acceptable.

I called my insurance agent and she said Duke's insurance demands are so stringent and outlandish that State Farm can't satisfy them at any cost. Duke demanded, for instance, that the policy cover injury to any line worker on any connected line anywhere. This is not required by programs in other states. So there IS no insurance I, a residential customer, can get, at any price, that will satisfy the requirements of this program.

This disingenuous "pilot program" has been in place for a few years now. I asked Dwight how many installations had actually been approved and he said, kind of sheepishly, only two: a commercial installation in Greensboro and the NCSU Solar House in Raleigh. So this so-called residential program has no residential participation. I should have known ...

What do you think could be done about this?

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