Member-Owned Distributed Generation

To encourage member-owned on-site electric generation facilities using renewable energy resources such as wind turbines, solar panels, etc., to comply with the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), to enhance the continued diversification of Illinois' energy resource mix and to protect the Illinois environment through the use of renewable fuel sources, Menard Electric Cooperative has established a Net Metering policy.  This policy allows members to interconnect and operate member-owned distributed generation facilities designed primarily to offset the member's electrical requirements with the Menard Electric distribution system and to be reimbursed for net energy provided to the cooperative.  Those members who install a generation source of 10KW or less will be reimbursed at retail rates up to the amount of energy they receive from the cooperative.  Those members who install a generation source greater than 10 KW will be reimbursed at the cooperative's avoided cost of energy.  In order to establish safe, reliable and economic standards for interconnection and parallel operation of member-owned distributed generation facilities, Menard Electric Cooperative has adopted an Interconnection and Parallel Operation of Distributed Generation policy.  Although Menard Electric does not necessarily agree with many of the claims concerning the economics of alternative renewable energy, the cooperative does support the use of renewable energy.

Members interested in installing member-owned on-site electric generation facilities can print, fill out and mail in the Application for Operation of Member-Owned Generation and review the Interconnection Agreement online.