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2023 SESSION

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SB 1266 Public utilities; minimum bill a subscriber to a shared solar program is required to pay.

Introduced by: Scott A. Surovell | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Public utilities; shared solar; minimum bill. Provides that a customer's net bill for participation in the shared solar program shall not exceed the minimum bill that the State Corporation Commission is required to establish, provides considerations for the Commission in establishing such minimum bill, such as minimizing the costs shifted to nonparticipating customers, and provides that the calculation of a customer's minimum bill shall be based on the kilowatt hours billed by the utility rather than the subscriber's portion of shared solar facility generation. The bill increases the shared solar facility program capacity from 150 megawatts to 700 megawatts with an additional 300 megawatts of capacity to be approved by the Commission upon determining that at least 210 megawatts of the aggregated shared solar capacity in the Commonwealth are subscribed to by low-income customers. Under current law, the Commission is required to approve a program of 150 megawatts with an additional 50 megawatts. The bill requires the Commission's regulations for the shared solar program to allow all jurisdictional and nonjurisdictional customer classes to participate in the program. The bill also directs the Commission to implement through regulation the provisions of the bill within 180 days of enactment and require each utility to file any tariffs, agreements, or forms to implement the provisions of the bill within 60 days of the effective date of such regulations.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Public utilities; shared solar; minimum bill. Provides that the minimum bill a subscriber to a shared solar program is required to pay, which under current law the State Corporation Commission is required to establish, may include the basic customer charge, non-bypassable charges, and administrative costs of the shared solar program. The bill prohibits the minimum bill from exceeding twice the basic customer charge. The bill removes the requirement that the minimum bill include the costs of all utility infrastructure and services used to provide service and the requirement that the Commission, in establishing the minimum bill, consider further costs the Commission deems relevant to ensure that subscribing customers pay a fair share of the costs of providing electric services and minimize the costs shifted to customers not in a shared solar program. The bill requires the Commission to approve a shared solar facility program of at least 10 percent of the peak load for customers of each utility with a minimum requirement of 30 percent low-income customers. Under current law, the Commission is required to approve a program of 150 megawatts with a requirement for an additional 50 megawatts if a certain condition is met. Additionally, the bill requires the Commission's regulations for the shared solar program to allow all jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional customer classes to participate in the program.