BG’s surcharge on residential rooftop solar panels is confusing and there seems to be a lot of passing the buck. If I understand correctly, the Board of Public Utilities sets rates, manages contracts, and ensures the utility operates in accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code. So if the current Code allows the board to charge an unreasonable surcharge, isn’t it clear that the City Council should pass an ordinance to correct it? Surely the Board is supposed to be accountable to the public through the elected council!
AI told me that 77% of all Ohio installations occurred after 2020 due to falling costs. At the city council meeting on March 15, BG resident Joe Demare showed a graph showing installations here in BG have declined during that period, which coincides with the surcharge. The letter by Jeff Dennis posted on March 10 didn’t indicate a source for his statements that seem to conflict.
Actually we all benefit from the residential solar producers because the city pays them less than the going rate for any power produced above what they use. As Mr. Demare rightly pointed out, the total overhead is reduced with residential solar because the peak load is lower. When I was an Iowa farm kid, around 1950 the rural electric coop gave a lower rate for those who allowed them to install a control to reduce use in the evening hours. We kids were excited and amazed that we got a free electric clock on the kitchen wall and a lower electric rate!
Mr. Dennis’s letter was correct about public utilities. I lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for over 30 years before moving to BG in 2023. Cedar Falls Utilities has for decades had a spot on the bill to donate toward constructing wind power. CFU even put high-speed broadband throughout the city in 2013. But public utilities are an advantage only when held accountable to the people!
Ruth Walker
Bowling Green
