Renewable Energy

South Central Electric REC Program allows members to be 100% renewable.

The South Central Electric REC program offers members the option of being 100% renewable at a low additional cost. Members can offset 100% of their electricity usage for the year with renewable energy credits (RECs). Corporations around the country purchase REC's to claim green energy attributes to their businesses, South Central members big or small can do the same.

Who can participate? Any South Central Electric member.

How much does it cost? Members pay an additional $.001/kWh. Example: You use 1,000 kWh's per month. 1,000 (kWh's) X 12 (months) = 12,000 (kWh's). 12,000 (kWh's) X $.001 = $12. You could be 100% renewable with REC's for an additional $12 per year. The additional $.001/kWh will be billed to members each month. In this example members would only see an additional $1.00 on their monthly bill.

How does it work? At the close of each year South Central Electric will purchase and retire renewable energy credits to cover the total amount of kWh's participating members used for the year. You do not install anything or worry about tracking anything. We'll do all the work for you.

I want to participate, what do I do? Just call our office at 507-375-3164 and ask for Jim.

South Central Electric 100% Renewable Information Sheet

Before you purchase a renewable energy system you should read our Cogeneration Rules, Interconnection Policy and the Minnesota Interconnection Process & Technical Requirements guidelines all located below. Your system can not be connected to the grid until it passes state inspection and interconnection is approved by South Central Electric. Failure to contact us from the beginning could lead to unexpected costs and delays in interconnection.

Before you make a big investment in a wind turbine or solar panels do your homework and ask lots of questions. If given expected performance numbers by a salesman, check them with your own numbers. What do they claim for kWh output? How does that line up with actual results from similar projects? Sales claims of kWh production that don't match what historically have been seen can make a big difference in pay back and what you hope to see out of your project. What’s been claimed and what happens in reality can be disappointing. Is the system UL pre-certified? Ask for a UL certificate. If not, you could incur added costs. Learn about the company or individual you’re dealing with. How long have they been in business? Check with the Minnesota Better Business Bureau about possible complaints and issues with the company. Don’t forget about us here at South Central Electric. You can’t connect to the grid without us. Get us involved before you sign a contract to purchase a turbine or solar panel to avoid possible issues. Just because you bought something doesn’t mean you can hook it to the grid. It has to meet Minnesota state electrical codes and be inspected by a state inspector. SCEA has to have the capacity to handle the project on its lines or you could be faced with significant costs. Visit the Minnesota Department of Commerce web site (http://mn.gov/commerce) for information on wind and solar energy. As a member owned cooperative, South Central Electric Association is here to help its members whether it is through education or completion of your renewable energy project.

Distributed Generation (DG) Grid Access Fee Goes In Effect June 1, 2016

South Central Electric will be implementing a DG Grid Access Fee on distributed generation facilities that are interconnected on or after June 1, 2016. The fee will not apply to current distributed generation facilities or to facilities interconnected before June 1, 2016.

In 2015 the Minnesota legislature sought to return a level of fairness to how the electric distribution grid is paid for by authorizing electric cooperatives and municipal utilities to charge a cost recovery fee on distributed generation facilities (wind, solar, etc.). At its February Board meeting, South Central Electric Board of Directors voted unanimously to implement the fee starting June 1, 2016. The fee will allow South Central Electric to recover some of the cost shift that occurs between distributed generators and the rest of the membership.

There is a fixed cost to deliver electric power to our members; the poles, the wires, the equipment and people that get the power to you and keep it reliable and safe. This fixed cost is recovered in two ways, through a monthly fixed charge and as a portion of your kWh rate. Putting some of the fixed cost within the kWh rate was done on the assumption that the more energy a member used the more demand they put on the grid and the more they should pay to maintain it. Distributed generators demand as much (or more) from the grid than the rest of the membership. But, because they offset some or all of their energy usage they no longer pay their fair share to maintain the grid.

Investing in distributed generation is a big decision with a lot of questions about financing, return on investment, interconnecting with South Central Electric and the expected life of the system. In order to assist our members who are weighing this option, we are more than happy to answer questions you have. Below we have copies of our distributed generation policy, interconnection application and Minnesota process & requirements guidelines. You may also contact us at 507-375-3164 and ask for Jim. The Distributed Generation Grid Access fees are listed on our Cogeneration Rate sheet below.

Visit our new Interconnection Portal for rates, forms, and applications.

Enter NOVA Portal

100% Renewable Program

Thinking of a Renewable Energy Investment?

Attention: Important Grid Access Fee Information

When will the DG Grid Access Fee take effect?

Interconnection and Net Metering Documents: