A group of newly moved-in tenants gathered in a breezeway at Pine Knoll EMPOWERment Affordable Community Housing (PEACH) Apartments in Chapel Hill on Monday to chat and to compare notes about items on their punch lists.
It was a gathering and conversation that should’ve taken place nearly a year ago. It was delayed after Duke Power refused to connect the project because the developer, EMPOWERment Inc., installed one meter for the entire 10-unit apartment complex to accommodate rooftop solar panels.
Delores Bailey, EMPOWERment’s executive director, had chosen the single-meter and solar panel approach as a way to reduce energy costs for low-income residents who would rent the apartments. The apartments were primarily built for tenants earning 30% of area median income, which is about $27,000 a year for Orange County.
The problem with the single meter was that state law does not allow new residential buildings to be served by a master meter for electric services. Duke followed the law. EMPOWERment asked the N.C. Utilities Commission to overrule Duke, but it ruled in the energy company’s favor…