In response to member requests for a simplified interconnection process, the Empire Electric board of directors approved a tariff in June 2006 designed for residential and commercial consumers using photo voltaic and/or wind as a renewable energy source. This tariff sets forth rules for a customer of Empire Electric to generate electricity from photo voltaic or wind and to interconnect that generation with Empire's distribution system.

Customers supplying part or all of their electrical requirements from a renewable generating facility must comply with applicable net metering rules of the Colorado Public Utility Commission. Empire Electric requires an Interconnection agreement. The customer agrees to allow the cooperative to test the generation protective system as it deems appropriate before the system is placed in continuous operation.

The customer agrees that they may be billed on an estimated levelized kWh usage method. The estimated usage less renewable generation will be estimated on a calendar year basis and levelized over 12 months. The customer-generator will be billed monthly at the applicable rate for this levelized kWh usage. At the end of the calendar year the customer-generator will be billed for any usage in excess of the levelized kWh usage at the applicable kWh rate. Billing for usage in excess of the levelized amount will occur on the customer-generators regularly scheduled billing period after the end of the calendar year. The cooperative may, at its sole discretion, adjust the levelized amount at any time to minimize the amount of any end of the calendar year adjustment.

Payment for excess generation will be made within sixty (60) days from the end of the calendar year, or from the date the customer terminates service at the average cost of power from the cooperatives wholesale supplier for that year, excluding wholesale power sold to loads billed under the cooperative's SCS tariffs.

Customer net meter systems participating under this schedule may be eligible for additional payments for the Renewable Energy Credits typically associated with such renewable energy generation as defined by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc, the wholesale supplier to Empire Electric.