Raised Bill No. 5471 establishes a community renewable energy generating system program set to begin on October 1, 2026, with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) responsible for its implementation. The bill defines essential terms and allows any electric customer to participate, ensuring subscribers benefit from lower electricity costs compared to standard service. It outlines the roles of subscriber organizations and electric distribution companies in managing subscriptions and billing, while also requiring these companies to offer a consolidated billing system. If they fail to do so by January 1, 2027, they must provide monthly credits to subscribers. The program will have a total capacity limit of six hundred megawatts annually and mandates that each system includes an energy storage component, with certain waivers available under specific conditions.

The bill also establishes a working group within PURA to study the program's value and costs, with recommendations for a permanent program due by October 1, 2026. This group will include key stakeholders and is tasked with analyzing the technical impacts of community renewable projects and their potential to reduce compliance costs with renewable energy standards. Additionally, the bill allows electric suppliers to offer guaranteed savings plans to customers, ensuring lower rates without termination fees for residential customers. It also mandates that electric distribution companies inform customers about subscription opportunities and provide billing credits for those who subscribe to shared clean energy organizations, thereby promoting renewable energy use.