The Klickitat PUD Board of Commissioners has decided to realign the utility’s net metering policy with the intent of state public policy and suspend implementation of an infrastructure fee.  Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits renewable energy system owners for the electricity they add to the grid.  Klickitat PUD determined in early 2018 that there was a cost created to other customers and elected to pass those costs on to net metered customers through an infrastructure fee.  The utility says discussions with customers along with the Governor’s office and the group Solar Installers of Washington reinforced that the PUD has the legal authority to assess the infrastructure fee, but also that it was not well received by many.  Klickitat PUD will no longer collect infrastructure costs for net metered customers until the legislatively set cap of 4% or the year 2029 is reached.  The change impacts an approved electric rate so it will require a public hearing process to be scheduled in 2020.