05-30-2009, 11:14 AM
The "running the meter to zero" and then not getting anything else back is not a HELCO policy, but the state. Net Metering is the industry term. Here, in Illinois, there is no net metering policy at all and individual electric companies can have their own policy. Locally, our's is "nothing", meaning that ALL electricity you produce over what you use is FREE to the electric company. Essentially, your meter does not "run backwards". Because of this policy, there are very few solar installations around my area.