SB659:

Shared solar programs; pilot program.

Bill Summary:

Shared solar programs for electric utilities; Phase I Utility; pilot. Allows for participation in shared solar programs by each investor-owned utility in the Commonwealth. Under the bill, the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) shall approve a shared solar program for each electric utility, including a pilot program for participation by customers of Phase I Utilities. For each Phase I Utility, the bill requires the Commission to approve a cap of at least 50 megawatts with a minimum requirement of 30 percent low-income customers for Phase I Utilities. For an electric utility located entirely within Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, and Wise Counties, the Commission shall approve a shared solar program cap of not less than 15 megawatts with a minimum requirement of 30 percent low-income customers. The bill permits electric utilities to recover interconnection costs through rate proceedings with the Commission, although fiber optic upgrades are rebuttably presumed as not cost-justified for the purposes of rate recovery. The bill also includes instructions and a timeline for submission of an interconnection request by an owner of a shared solar project to an electric utility. The bill directs the Commission to review the pilot program every two years, beginning July 1, 2024. The bill provides that the load served by a shared solar facility shall not be considered part of the total electric energy sold by a utility in any calendar year for satisfaction of its renewable energy portfolio standard program. This bill was incorporated into SB 660.