A new net metering program is on it’s way from SaskPower. The announcement came on Tuesday.

The new program replaces the one which was halted in September after it hit the cap of 16-megawatts, two years earlier than it was planned. The move was made to allow SaskPower to revise the program, and relaunch it.

Net metering allows customers to generate their own electricity at home through renewable resources like solar panels. They can then put power which they don’t use on to the grid, and receive credits from SaskPower for doing so.

In a scrum at the Legislature in Regina, Dustin Duncan, the Minister of the Environment, explained there won’t be a rebate for those who install solar panels going forward like there was under the old plan.

There's not going to be a rebate going forward, we're also ensuring there is no megawatt cap, there is no contract and therefore there is no term on that contract, so this is an indefinite program for people that want to take part,” said Duncan.

“The same technologies will be eligible, the same eligibility criteria will be in place.”

Customers will be able to offset 100 kilowatts per month off their power bill and will receive a credit for the excess power generated. The excess will be credited back at 7.5 cents per kilowatt-hour for the first two years. Afterwards, SaskPower will set up a tariff system.

The changes are set to take effect on November 1st, and people that were in the previous program will be grandfathered under their current contract as long as there are no changes to their projects. Once their contract is up, they will be integrated into the new program.