This bill amends the Limited Electrical Energy Producers Act to establish new requirements for large customer-generators participating in net energy metering. Specifically, it mandates that facilities with a generating capacity greater than one megawatt and up to five megawatts, which come into service after January 1, 2026, must consume at least 33 percent of their own generated electricity annually. This consumption requirement does not apply to low- and moderate-income customers as defined by the Public Utilities Commission. Additionally, the bill introduces the definition of "industrial host," which refers to customer-generators that serve a group of commercial, industrial, or institutional entities, and allows for compensation for excess generation beyond the group's total annual electricity usage.

The bill also modifies existing definitions and provisions related to eligible customer-generators, including the insertion of new language that clarifies the eligibility criteria for net metering. It specifies that alternative tariffs for net energy metering must be made available to eligible customer-generators in accordance with previous orders and rules. The bill does not provide funding or authorize new positions but anticipates an indeterminable increase in state and local expenditures due to the administrative costs associated with tracking new group hosts and the potential increase in utility costs related to net metering credits. Overall, the bill aims to expand participation in net energy metering while ensuring that a significant portion of generated energy is consumed by the generators themselves.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 362-A:1-a, 362-A:9
As Amended by the Senate: 362-A:1-a, 362-A:9
As Amended by the Senate (2nd): 362-A:1-a, 362-A:9