This bill establishes a community solar facility program in Iowa, aimed at promoting solar energy generation and enabling electric utility customers to participate in solar projects. It introduces new definitions, including "community solar facility," which refers to a distributed generation facility that generates electricity through solar panels, allowing subscribers to receive bill credits based on their subscription size. The bill also clarifies that community solar facilities will not be classified as public utilities and that their electricity provision will not be seen as unnecessary duplication of electric utility facilities. Additionally, it mandates that electric utilities review their interconnection processes to ensure they are efficient and cost-effective, with the costs borne by the subscriber organization rather than nonparticipating ratepayers.

The bill outlines specific requirements for community solar facilities, including subscriber organization responsibilities, billing procedures, and decommissioning plans. It requires electric utilities to provide bill credits to subscribers for at least twenty-five years and to file new or updated tariffs by January 1, 2027, to implement the changes. The legislation also emphasizes the need for financial assurances for decommissioning and mandates the Iowa utilities commission to adopt rules to facilitate the program's implementation. Overall, the bill aims to enhance solar energy generation while ensuring consumer protection and equitable participation across all customer classes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 476.1, 476.50