Grays Harbor PUD - Net Metering
If you install a solar or wind system for your home, Grays Harbor PUD credits the extra electricity you send to the grid, lowering your bill; unusually, the PUD reimburses net excess generation at 50% of the retail rate rather than requiring you to forfeit it. You'll pay for the system and installation plus a non-refundable application fee and possibly costs for testing, transformers, and meters, and excess credits are settled at the end of the 12-month cycle on March 31. To get started, work with a chosen contractor and contact the PUD Engineering Department at (800) 562-7726.
Grays Harbor PUD net metering lets your residential, commercial, or industrial customers offset bills with solar, wind, small hydro, fuel cells, and other eligible systems up to 100 kW, and the PUD's 50%-of-retail reimbursement for net excess generation is a selling point beyond state minimums. Systems must use a utility-approved interconnection and meet PUD requirements, and customers pay an application fee plus possible equipment and testing costs. Availability is first-come, first-served until net-metered capacity reaches 0.5% of the utility's 1996 peak demand, so advise customers to apply early.
This voluntary program exceeds Washington's 1998/2006 net metering law by reimbursing net excess generation at 50% of retail rate instead of allowing uncompensated surrender, with monthly banking and annual true-up on March 31 (reimbursement if NEG exceeds the service charge, otherwise credited). Eligible technologies include solar PV and thermal electric, wind, small hydro, and renewable and non-renewable fuel cells, capped at 100 kW per system, serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Enrollment is first-come, first-served until cumulative capacity equals 0.5% of the utility's 1996 peak demand, with at least half of that reserved for renewable systems; applications are handled through the PUD Engineering Department.
Program details
- Program ID
- 106
- Last updated
- 3/31/2026
Eligibility
- Sectors
- commercial industrial residential
- Technologies
- solar thermal electric solar photovoltaics wind (all) fuel cells using non-renewable fuels wind (small) hydroelectric (small) fuel cells using renewable fuels
Program summary
Grays Harbor PUD's net metering program differs slightly from what is required by Washington state law in that Grays Harbor PUD reimburses customers for net excess generation (NEG), at 50% of the utility's retail rate. Grays Harbor PUD customers can bank net excess generation every month. If the excess generation is greater than the utilities service charge then the utility reimburses the customer, if it is less than the service charge it is credited to the customers account at the end of the 12-month billing cycle on March 31. State law allows utilities to require customers to surrender NEG to the utility, without reimbursement. Grays Harbor PUD has voluntarily gone beyond the state requirement in order to encourage customers to use renewable energy systems.
Washington's original net metering law, which applies to all electric utilities, was enacted in 1998 and amended in 2006. Individual systems are limited to 100 kilowatts (kW) in capacity. Net metering is available on a first-come, first-served basis until the cumulative generating capacity of net-metered systems equals 0.5% of the utility’s peak demand during 1996. At least one half of the utility's 1996 peak demand available for net-metered systems is reserved for systems generating electricity using renewables.
Contact & resources
- Contact email
- engrinf@ghpud.org
- Additional resources
Please verify current program details with the administering agency before making any financial decisions.
