The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

     (1) "Commission" means the utilities and transportation commission.

     (2) "Customer-generator" means a user of a net metering system.

     (3) "Electrical company" means a company owned by investors that meets the definition of RCW 80.04.010.

     (4) "Electric cooperative" means a cooperative or association organized under chapter 23.86 or 24.06 RCW.

     (5) "Electric utility" means any electrical company, public utility district, irrigation district, port district, electric cooperative, or municipal electric utility that is engaged in the business of distributing electricity to retail electric customers in the state.

     (6) "Irrigation district" means an irrigation district under chapter 87.03 RCW.

     (7) "Meter aggregation" means the administrative combination of readings from and billing for all meters, regardless of the rate class, on premises owned or leased by a customer-generator located within the service territory of a single electric utility.

     (8) "Municipal electric utility" means a city or town that owns or operates an electric utility authorized by chapter 35.92 RCW.

     (9) "Net metering" means measuring the difference between the electricity supplied by an electric utility and the electricity generated by a customer-generator over the applicable billing period.

     (10) "Net metering system" means a fuel cell, a facility that produces electricity and used and useful thermal energy from a common fuel source, or a facility for the production of electrical energy that generates renewable energy, and that:

     (a) Has an electrical generating capacity of not more than one hundred kilowatts;

     (b) Is located on the customer-generator's premises;

     (c) Operates in parallel with the electric utility's transmission and distribution facilities; and

     (d) Is intended primarily to offset part or all of the customer-generator's requirements for electricity.

     (11) "Premises" means any residential property, commercial real estate, or lands, owned or leased by a customer-generator within the service area of a single electric utility.

     (12) "Port district" means a port district within which an industrial development district has been established as authorized by Title 53 RCW.

     (13) "Public utility district" means a district authorized by chapter 54.04 RCW.

     (14) "Renewable energy" means energy generated by a facility that uses water, wind, solar energy, or biogas from animal waste as a fuel.

[2007 c 323 § 1; 2006 c 201 § 1; 2000 c 158 § 1; 1998 c 318 § 2.]