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SB 91 (2021)

Energy omnibus bill, covering net metering to energy storage systems and more

Summary:

This is an omnibus bill related to energy, particularly net metering.

First, this bill regulates the installation, interconnection, and use of energy storage systems by electricity customers.

Second, this bill expands eligibility for net metering to include certain hydroelectric power generators. The House amended this part of the bill to require the Public Utilities Commission "to ensure that, except for minimal allowances for metering and billing, other customers do not shift costs to customer generators and customer generators do not shift costs to other customers."  A conference committee of representatives and senators rewrote this language to instead "minimize" any cost shifting.

Third, this bill clarifies group host credits for net energy metering.

Fourth, this bill adds a "qualifying storage system" to the Limited Electrical Energy Producers Act and revises that act.  The House amended this part of the bill to instead establish a commission to study limited electrical energy producers.

Fifth, this bill revises the requirement for utilities to make available the names, account numbers, and mailing addresses of customers that are new to the electric distribution utility.  The Senate rewrote this portion of the bill to generally revise the laws governing the aggregation of electric customers.  The House removed this part of the bill entirely.

Lastly, the Senate removed two parts of the original bill.  First, the Senate removed a portion that regulated what happens when a customer of an electric aggregation program falls into arrears.  Second, the Senate removed a portion that increased the electric generating capacity of customer generators who could participate in net energy metering, generally from 1 megawatt to 5 megawatts.  

Bill Sponsor:
David H. Watters
Democratic party logo
Bill Became Law?:
Yes
Status Detail:
Signed by Governor
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