Columbia Same—Small power producer/cogenerator rate ordinance (§ 27-120)
Chapter 27: Utilities · Article III. Water and Light System
In short: Customers with their own generating equipment of 100 kw or less connected to Columbia Water and Light can sell power at $0.025 per kWh, plus $4.60 per kW monthly ($55.20 a year) if generating when system loads exceed 90 percent of peak. They must keep a power factor of at least 85 percent lagging.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) Available to: The small power producer/cogenerator rate schedule is available to any customer who owns and can operate generating equipment of one hundred (100) kw or less in parallel with Columbia Water and Light Department, and having electrical power supply with the city.
(b) Applicable to: The small power producer/cogenerator rate is applicable to a residential or general service customer who contracts for service supplied at one (1) point of delivery. Applicable to single- and threephase customers.
(c) Rate payment: In order to qualify for payment of capacity charge to the cogenerator or small power producer facility by the Columbia Water and Light Department, the qualified facility must be on line generating whenever the water and light loads are exceeding ninety (90) percent of the system's peak.
Payment to the cogenerator or small power producer will be made monthly based on the following rate schedule:
(1) Capacity charge: Four dollars and sixty cents ($4.60) per kW, with a total annual payment of fifty-five dollars and twenty cents ($55.20) per kW.
(2) Energy: Two and one-half cents ($0.025) per kWh.
(d) Energy adjustments: The energy charge will be adjusted quarterly to reflect changes in the average avoided cost.
(e) Interconnection: The customer will normally be required to furnish his own transforming, protective, and other necessary equipment which must comply with specifications of Columbia Water and Light Department.
(f) Supplementary service: Service will be available for supplementary power. The rate that will apply is the standard retail rate for the particular class of customer.
(g) Power factor: A qualifying facility will be required to maintain a power factor of not less than eighty-five
(85) percent lagging. If the power factor is less than eighty-five (85) percent and the qualifying facility does not expeditiously take corrective action, the department can, at its option, discontinue service or can install necessary corrective equipment on its lines to improve the power factor to at least eighty-five
(85) percent and will charge the qualifying facility for the total installation cost.
(h) Contract period: The contract period shall be automatically renewable annually, with notice to be given one (1) year in advance by either party.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 27-120
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.