This bill amends the Limited Electrical Energy Producers Act to establish new requirements for large customer-generators participating in net metering. Specifically, it mandates that facilities with a generating capacity greater than one megawatt but less than five megawatts, which come into service after January 1, 2027, 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 and net metering tariffs. It clarifies that eligible customer-generators can include those that are interconnected and operate in parallel with the electric grid, and it establishes alternative tariffs for net metering in accordance with previous orders. The bill aims to enhance the participation of large customer-generators in net metering while ensuring that they meet specific consumption criteria, thereby potentially increasing utility costs associated with net metering credits, which will be passed on to ratepayers. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 362-A:1-a, 362-A:9
SB449 text: 362-A:1-a, 362-A:9