Cleveland Updates Net Metering Rules for Local Power Users
Cleveland residents planning to install solar panels or other distributed energy resources may see changes in how their utility bills are calculated. City Council has passed Emergency Ordinance 588-2026 to update net metering rules for Cleveland Public Power (CPP) customers, aiming to better manage the growing number of residents connecting private energy sources to the city's electric grid.
What's in the file
According to the Legislative Summary, the ordinance amends Sections 523.25 and 523.26 of the Codified Ordinances of Cleveland to address billing and reliability as more distributed energy resources are integrated into the system. The Department of Public Utilities notes that these updates are necessary as customers continue to request interconnection for larger and more frequent energy projects.
The ordinance includes the following changes:
- Removal of the maximum project size for distributed energy installations.
- Clarification of the required approval process to preserve the safety and integrity of the CPP electric distribution system.
- Definition of new key terms specifically for customers with distributed generation resources.
- Updates to related billing terms, processes, and requirements.
The updated billing method dictates how power generated by a customer is applied to their account:
- Generated power first reduces the Power Supply Recovery (PSR) portion of the bill, up to the full amount of the PSR.
- Any additional power generated is credited to the customer’s account as a "Customer Owned Generation Credit," calculated based on CPP’s purchased power cost at the time of the original billing.
Who may be affected
- Cleveland Public Power (CPP) customers: Specifically current and future customers requesting to install distributed energy resources on their properties.
- Department of Public Utilities: This department manages the electric distribution system and the updated interconnection processes.
Status and timeline
- 2026-05-11: Ordinance 588-2026 was read and referred to administrative review.
- 2026-06-25: The Utilities Committee recommended the ordinance for approval.
- 2026-07-15: The Committee of the Whole recommended the ordinance for approval, and City Council approved it.
Residents can verify the details of these legislative changes by reviewing the official record at Cleveland City Council.
Source record
- File
- 588-2026
- Type
- Emergency Ordinance
- Status
- Passed
- Committee
- City Council
- Introduced
- May 6, 2026
Official documents
- 588-2026-Amend 523.26 net metering service
- 558-2026-Location map final Trance 3 Rev 4.15
- 587-2026 & 588-2026- Legislative Summary- Net Metering (002)
- FINAL VERSION City Record July 24, 2026 - Page 26