SB 630 - This act modifies provisions relating to community solar gardens, and defines the term "community solar gardens" as set forth in this act. Under this act, if an electrical corporation plans to acquire or construct a new supply-side resource in its resource plan filed with the Public Service Commission, they shall provide for a plan to purchase energy and renewable energy credits from one or more community solar gardens. Beginning on January 1, 2017, the electrical corporation shall issue offers to purchase energy from community solar gardens of 500 kW or less, so long as the energy generated from such does not exceed 20% of the corporation's renewable energy standard portfolio requirements. Beginning January 1, 2022, the Public Service Commission shall determine the electrical corporation's minimum and maximum purchases of energy from community solar gardens of different output capacity. At the same time, electrical corporations shall set forth in their resource plans a proposal for including low-income customers as community solar garden subscribers. Energy generated by a community solar garden shall only be sold to the electrical corporation that provides service in the area in which the solar garden is located. Further, electrical corporations shall be eligible to recover a margin, in an amount determined by the Public Service Commission, on all energy and renewable energy credits purchased from community solar gardens.
Under this act, both the electrical corporation and subscribers of the community solar garden are required to provide certain information and facilities to the other as set forth in this act.
Any excess energy generated by the solar garden shall be credited to the community solar garden subscriber in proportion to the percentage of shares that the subscriber owns of the community solar garden, less any appropriate customer charges. Any credits shall expire within 12 months of issuance, when the subscriber disconnects service, or when the community solar garden terminates the agreement to sell excess energy to the electrical corporation.
Nothing in this act shall apply to rural electric cooperatives or municipally owned utilities.
KAYLA HAHN