If you install solar energy panels on your house and choose to participate in our Solar Payment Option, PGE will pay you for the power your system produces.

Payment rate
The Oregon Public Utility Commission has sets the payment rate for each reservation period. The commission may adjust the payment rate to encourage or slow down participation or to reflect changing costs for solar panels.

When you obtain approval for an installation, PGE will sign a 15-year contract with you guaranteeing a single, enduring price per kilowatt-hour. That price will not change during the course of your contract. Even if the commission changes the incentive rates for the program, your contracted rate will not change.

If you sell your home or building where the system is installed, the 15-year contract transfers to the new owner. There is a one-time, nominal transfer fee.

How usage and generation is measured
Your bill is figured using two special meters, which PGE provides. One is the photovoltaic generation meter that measures how much solar power your system produces. The other meter is a bidirectional meter that measures how much electricity is used from PGE or is generated back to PGE. There is a $10 per month service fee.

How your payment is figured
Each month, PGE will pay you for the power your system generates up to the amount of power you use. You have a choice of two payment methods: We will mail a check or credit your PGE bill with the adjustment. During the application process, you can indicate which you prefer.

In addition, if you generate more power than you use during a given month, you will receive kilowatt-hour credits on your solar payment account. This is, in effect, “saving for a rainy day.” Excess generation credits accumulated during sunny summer months will be paid to you during Oregon’s cloudy winter months when your usage is greater than your generation.

Excess generation above your annual usage will not be eligible for payment. Under state rules, credits that remain unused at the end of the March billing cycle are transferred to customers enrolled in low-income assistance programs. Ideally, though, your system should be properly sized for your home and you will be able to use all of your credit during a year.

For further details, see the Solar Payment Option rate schedule (PDF).

Contact us
For more information, email us, or call the Solar Payment Option coordinator at 503-464-8200.