The bill amends the General Laws regarding net metering, introducing the concept of a "Community remote net-metering system" which allows for the generation of electricity and allocation of net-metering credits to accounts associated with low- or moderate-income housing or to at least three eligible credit-recipient customer accounts, with a distribution cap of 50% of the credits to any single recipient. It redefines "eligible credit recipient" and "eligible net-metering resource," excluding certain biomass fuels, and updates the "eligible net-metering system" definition to match the user's annual consumption. The bill prohibits utilities from limiting net metering site eligibility based on prior consumption and mandates crediting excess energy at the wholesale rate, allowing for third-party ownership and financing arrangements for net-metering systems.

Additionally, the bill specifies that all net-metered accounts at an eligible net-metering system site must belong to the same customer of record, with exceptions for certain entities, and prohibits artificial expansion of eligible net-metering system sites. It revises the definition of "Excess renewable net-metering credit," removing the previous cap of 125% and the reference to the electric distribution company’s avoided cost rate, instead crediting excess at the wholesale electricity rate. The commission retains authority over the applicability of this credit, and the bill clarifies that third-party financiers are not considered public utilities. The bill is effective immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
506: 39-26.4-2