Net Metering Application Form

What is Net Metering?

Net metering allows consumers with renewable energy resources, such as solar, to get credits towards their electricity bill for generating their own electricity. Credits can be carried forward for 12 months to offset future electricity costs. Customers with net meters can now combine energy storage with renewable energy systems.

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Increased Electrical Capacity for Residential Solar Installations

We recently notified some residential customers that their neighbourhood has additional electrical capacity for solar installations.

If you're considering installing solar, start the application process by filling out a Request Form.
I'm Interested In Installing Solar

How Do I Get Started?

  1. Find out more about the process: Contact us and we will provide you with the technical specifications, the approval process and how to get your net metering contract. You should also contact the Electrical Safety Authority of Ontario (ESA), as your system must be inspected and approved by the ESA to guarantee that it is correctly connected to the grid.
  2. Investigate your alternatives for renewable energy: information can be provided by renewable energy organizations, advisors and suppliers. For urban clients, a solar system may be the best renewable energy choice as wind or water systems require ample space and may not be permitted under zoning regulations. In rural areas, wind, water or agricultural biomass energy may be an option.
  3. Determine the size of the generation unit that will suit your needs: use your prior bills as a starting point to tailor your system to your individual energy demand. Since your credits can only be carried forward for 12 months, oversizing a generation system does not increase the benefits.

If you have any questions regarding the Net Metering initiative, please contact E.L.K Energy Inc.'s Generation Team
Email: customer.service@elkenergy.com 
Phone: 519-776-5291 

Application Process By Generation Classes

10 kW or Less of Generation

A Micro generation plant is described as a system for generating electricity with a capability of 10kW or less.  The latest Net Metering rules can be found on the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) website.

Application Process

  1. Information Request
    • The client proposing the installation of renewable generation should contact E.L.K Energy Inc. and ESA.
  2. Fill out the online application
    • The customer will need to visit the E.L.K Energy Inc. website and fill out the online application to E.L.K Energy Inc. which includes the nameplate rated capacity of the proposed generator, the fuel type, type of technology, and the location proposed.
    • The details can be found in the important documents section.
  3. ESA Electrical Permit Application & E.L.K Energy Inc. Review
    • The customer will submit plans and specific information to ESA for permit application. At the same time, E.L.K Energy Inc. will review the application.
  4. Provision of Information/Offer to Connect
    • E.L.K Energy Inc. will provide information regarding the connection process, approvals needed, technical requirements, contractual requirements and application forms.
    • If the customer meets all of the requirements, E.L.K Energy Inc. will issue an Offer to Connect and a Connection Agreement that must be signed and returned to us with your final payment.
  5. Customer Develops a Plan
    • The customer reviews the information provided by E.L.K Energy Inc. and ESA and develops an installation plan.
  6. The Decision to Proceed and Install
    • If the customer decides to proceed with the installation of their proposed generation, they will issue a payment to E.L.K Energy Inc. for any fee outlined in the Offer to Connect and will return a signed copy of the Connection Agreement to E.L.K Energy Inc.
  7. Authorization to Connect
    • The customer will receive an authorization to connect after the ESA inspection.  E.L.K Energy Inc. will then install a new meter.
Important Documentation

Request Form

ESA Contact Information

 

Greater than 10 kW to 999 kW of Generation

Small generation facilities are defined as having a capacity greater than 10kW and up to 999 kW when connected to a distribution system.  The latest Net Metering rules can be found on the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) website.

Application Process

  1. Information Request
    • The client proposing the installation of renewable generation should contact E.L.K Energy Inc. and ESA. The customer will need to visit the E.L.K Energy Inc. website and fill out an Initial feasibility Assessment (IFA) form.  The details can be found in the important documents section.
  2. Provision of Information 
    • E.L.K Energy Inc. will provide information regarding the connection process, approvals required, technical requirements, contractual requirements and application forms.
  3. Customer Develops a Plan
    • The customer reviews the information provided by E.L.K Energy Inc. and ESA and develops an installation plan.  The customer will prepare detailed engineering drawings, submit all the plans to ESA for approval, and submit information to E.L.K Energy Inc. for design review. It is recommended that the design is provided to E.L.K Energy Inc. within 30 days. 
  4. Connection Impact Assessment
    • The customer submits a connection impact assessment application to E.L.K Energy Inc. for a chosen location and makes payment with the application. Information required includes the size of the generation facility; the type of generation facility; type and details of technology; fuel type; single line diagram; location; protection philosophy; and preliminary design of proposed interface protection. E.L.K Energy Inc. performs the connection impact assessment of the proposed generation on the distribution system. A Study agreement will be sent to the customer detailing requirements and cost.
    • A Hydro One Connection Impact Assessment (CIA) will be performed, if required.
  5. The Decision to Proceed and Install
    • Upon receiving a successful CIA the customer can choose to continue with the generation installation.  A site visit will be scheduled to determine any site specific details of the project. An offer to connect will be sent to the customer detailing the cost as well as all requirements for the installation. Once the customer pays the offer to connect costs, both the customer and E.L.K Energy Inc. will commit to a schedule, a form of information exchange and the scope of work. E.L.K Energy Inc. will then initiate the work to be done to facilitate the connection.
  6. Commissioning and Verification ​​​​​
    • Prior to scheduling commissioning, the E.L.K Energy Inc. pre-commissioning check list, as well as ESA inspection will need to be submitted to E.L.K Energy Inc.
    • The customer will arrange for the commissioning and testing of the generator. E.L.K Energy Inc. will send witnesses to verify the commissioning process as well as complete E.L.K Energy Inc.'s required commissioning portion.
  7. Connection Agreement
    • The customer and E.L.K Energy Inc. agree to and sign the connection agreement. A letter of equivalency will need to be completed by an independent Professional Engineer.
Important Documentation

Preliminary Consultation Information Request

Connection Impact Assessment (Coming soon..)

​Conditions of Service

Load Displacement Pre-commissioning Checklist (Coming soon..)

​​​​​​Letter of Equivalency (Coming soon..)

 

Between 1MW to 10MW of Generation

Medium-sized generation facilities are defined as having a capacity greater than 1 MW and up to 10 MW. Mid-sized generation facilities typically involve business or industrial establishments. These systems usually involve complex technical and financial issues and should only be considered if the client has considerable generation experience.  The latest Net Metering rules can be found on the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) website.

Application Process

  1. Information Request
    • The client proposing the installation of renewable generation should contact E.L.K Energy Inc. and ESA. The customer will need to visit the E.L.K Energy Inc. website and fill out an Initial feasibility Assessment (IFA) form.   The details can be found in the important documents section.
  2. Provision of Information 
    • E.L.K Energy Inc. will provide information regarding the connection process, approvals needed, technical requirements, contractual requirements and application forms.
  3. Customer Develops a Plan
    • The customer reviews the information provided by E.L.K Energy Inc. and ESA and develops an installation plan. The customer will prepare detailed engineering drawings, submit all the plans to ESA for approval, and submit information to E.L.K Energy Inc. for design review. It is recommended that the design is provided to E.L.K Energy Inc. within 30 days. 
  4. Connection Impact Assessment
    • The customer submits a connection impact assessment application to E.L.K Energy Inc. for a chosen location and makes payment with the application. Information required includes the size of the generation facility; the type of generation facility; type and details of technology; fuel type; single line diagram; location; and preliminary design of proposed interface protection. E.L.K Energy Inc. performs the connection impact assessment of the proposed generation on the distribution system. The Study agreement will be sent to the customer detailing requirements and cost.
    • A Hydro One Connection Impact Assessment (CIA) is required.
  5. The Decision to Proceed and Install
    • Upon receiving successful CIA`s from both E.L.K Energy Inc. and Hydro One, the customer can choose to continue with the generation installation.  A site visit will be scheduled to determine any site specific details of the project. An offer to connect will be sent to the customer detailing the cost as well as all requirements for the installation. Once the customer pays the offer to connect costs, the customer, E.L.K Energy Inc. and Hydro One will commit to a schedule, a form of information exchange and the scope of work. v will then initiate the work to be done to facilitate the connection.
    • Hydro One will assign a project manager to oversee any Hydro One work that may be required.
  6. Commissioning and Verification
    • The customer will arrange for and receive the Authorization to Connect from ESA. In addition, the customer will need to complete a E.L.K Energy Inc. pre-commissioning checklist before the commissioning day.
    • The customer will arrange for the commissioning and testing of the generator.
    • E.L.K Energy Inc. will send witnesses to verify the commissioning process as well as complete E.L.K Energy Inc.'s required commissioning portion.
    • Hydro One`s project manager will co-ordinate all transfer trip and NMS point testing.
  7. Connection Agreement/Operating Procedure
    • The customer and E.L.K Energy Inc. agree to and sign the connection agreement/operating procedure. A letter of equivalency will need to be completed by an independent Professional Engineer. 
Important Documentation 

 

Preliminary Consultation Information Request

Connection Impact Assessment (Coming soon..)

​​​​Conditions of Service

Load Displacement Pre-commissioning Checklist (Coming soon..)

​​​​​​Letter of Equivalency (Coming soon..)

 

 

More than 10 MW of Generation

Large-sized generation facilities are defined as having a capacity greater than 10 MW. Large-sized generation facilities typically involve business or industrial establishments. These systems usually involve complex technical and financial issues and should only be considered if the client has considerable generation experience.  The latest Net Metering rules can be found on the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) website.

Application Process

  1. Information Request
    • The client proposing the installation of renewable generation should contact E.L.K Energy Inc. and ESA. The customer will need to visit the E.L.K Energy Inc. website and fill out an Initial feasibility Assessment (IFA) form.  The details can be found in the important documents section.
  2. Provision of Information 
    • E.L.K Energy Inc. will provide information regarding the connection process, approvals needed, technical requirements, contractual requirements and application forms.
  3. Customer Develops a Plan
    • The customer reviews the information provided by E.L.K Energy Inc. and ESA and develops an installation plan. The customer will prepare detailed engineering drawings, submit all the plans to ESA for approval, and submit information to E.L.K Energy Inc. for design review. It is recommended that the design is provided to E.L.K Energy Inc. within 30 days. 
  4. Connection Impact Assessment
    • The customer submits a connection impact assessment application to E.L.K Energy Inc. for a chosen location and makes payment with the application. Information required includes the size of the generation facility; the type of generation facility; type and details of technology; fuel type; single line diagram; location; protection philosophy; and preliminary design of proposed interface protection. E.L.K Energy Inc. performs the connection impact assessment of the proposed generation on the distribution system. A Study agreement will be sent to the customer detailing requirements and cost.
    • A Hydro One Connection Impact Assessment (CIA) is required.
  5. The Decision to Proceed and Install
    • Upon receiving successful CIA`s from both E.L.K Energy Inc. and Hydro One, the customer can choose to continue with the generation installation.  A site visit will be scheduled to determine any site specific details of the project. An offer to connect will be sent to the customer detailing the cost as well as all requirements for the installation. Once the customer pays the offer to connect costs, the customer,  E.L.K Energy Inc. and Hydro One will commit to a schedule, a form of information exchange and the scope of work.  E.L.K Energy Inc. will then initiate the work to be done to facilitate the connection.
    • Hydro One will assign a project manager to oversee any Hydro One work that may be required.
  6. Commissioning and Verification
    • The customer will arrange for and receive the Authorization to Connect from ESA. In addition, the customer will need to complete a pre-commissioning checklist before the commissioning day.
    • The customer will arrange for the commissioning and testing of the generator.
    •  E.L.K Energy Inc. will send witnesses to verify the commissioning process as well as complete  E.L.K Energy Inc.'s required commissioning portion. 
    • Hydro One’s project manager will co-ordinate all transfer trip and NMS point testing.
  7. Connection Agreement/Operating Procedure
    • The customer and  E.L.K Energy Inc. agree to and sign the connection agreement/operating procedure. A letter of equivalency will need to be completed by an independent Professional Engineer. 
Important Documentation 

 

Preliminary Consultation Information Request

Connection Impact Assessment (Coming soon..)

​​​​Conditions of Service

Load Displacement Pre-commissioning Checklist (Coming soon..)

​​​​​​Letter of Equivalency (Coming soon..)

 

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the process take?

The process is dependent on size for small and medium sized projects it may take anywhere from 3 to 6 months.


How much does the process cost?

Prices can vary depending on project scope please submit an application for pricing.


Am I eligible for Generation?

Please make an application to determine eligibility.


How many credits do I have?

Please refer to your monthly hydro bill as it will indicate you current credit balance.


How much does a generation system cost?

Please contact a renewable generation installation company for costs.

 

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Application to Connect

Fill out the application to connect a micro-generator to E.L.K Energy Inc.
Fill out the application
This form is applicable to individual or multiple generating units at the customer’s facility with total nameplate rating of 500 kW or less. Your generation facility must generate electricity from a renewable source that is wind, water, solar radiation, or agricultural biomass.

Inverter based generating units must not inject DC greater than 0.5% of the full rated output current at the point of connection of the generating units. The generated harmonic levels must not exceed those given in the CAN/CSA-C61000-3-6 Standards.

The following information is required for all net metered generators with total generation of up to 500 kW.
 
1. Project Information:
One file only.
15 MB limit.
Allowed types: jpg, png, pdf, .
Engineering Consultant (Electrical)
2. Customer Status
Are you an existing E.L.K. Energy Customer?
Are you a HST registrant?
3. Project Size
Are all generation units of the same type/size?
4. Generation Type (check all that apply):
Check all that apply
5. Customer-Owned Step-Up Interface Transformer (if applicable):
High Voltage Winding Connection
Grounding method of star connected high voltage winding neutral
Grounding method of star connected low voltage winding neutral
Note: The term “high voltage” refers to the connection voltage to E.L.K. Energy’s distribution system and “low voltage” refers to the generator / inverter output voltage.
 
6. Generator / Inverter Information:

For generation facilities installing more than one type of generator, complete section 6 and Appendix A.
Number of Phases
Type of Inverter:
Are power factors correction capacitors automatically switched off when generator breaker opens?
Is the generator / inverter paralleling equipment and / or design pre-certified and meets anti-islanding test requirements?
Method of synchronizing the generator / inverter to E.L.K. Energy's system
7. Grid Interface Controller (if applicable):
Single Line Diagram:
A Single Line Diagram (SLD) is required with this application form. The SLD should include, but not be limited to:

• Customer’s electrical system showing major electrical equipment, their ratings, location of fault interrupting devices (circuit breakers, fuses);
• Generating unit(s) and their connection arrangement to Customer’s electrical system;
• Protection, metering and proposed tripping schemes;
• Isolating / disconnecting device for the isolation of the generating unit(s) from the E.L.K. Energy system: suitably rated, accessible (to E.L.K. Energy personnel), visible, gang operated, lockable, located adjacent E.L.K.’s meter;
• If applicable, information on customer owned step-up interface transformer: ratings, winding connections, grounding arrangements.
 
9. Location and Site Plan:
Provide a site plan (sketch) showing electric service entrance, step-down transformer, generator(s), / inverter(s) location, existing / new switchgear, location of the isolating / disconnecting device (for E.L.K. Energy usage), adjoining street name, and street address.

Note: Additional information may be required. E.L.K. Energy will inform you what additional information is required, if necessary.
 
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