HB 1647

Abstract

Distributed renewable energy. Promotes the establishment of distributed renewable solar and other renewable energy. The measure (i) increases from one percent to six percent the systemwide cap on the total amount of renewable energy that can be net metered in a utility's service territory, (ii) authorizes third-party power purchase agreements for all customers of investor-owned utilities, (iii) removes the restriction on customers installing a net-metered generation facility larger than that required to meet their previous 12 months' demand, (iv) raises the cap for net-metered nonresidential generation facilities from one megawatt to three megawatts, and (v) removes the ability of a Phase I Utility to assess standby charges. The measure also amends the Commonwealth Energy Policy to include provisions supporting distributed generation of renewable energy.

Electric utility regulation; third-party sales agreements; public generating facilities; net energy metering; community solar. The measure, for customers of investor-owned territories and in the certificated service territories of investor-owned utilities, (i) authorizes localities to install solar-powered or wind-powered electric generation facilities and credit the electricity they generate to its metered accounts at the same rate that it would be charged for the power by the utility, (ii) authorizes third-party power purchase agreements for all customer classes throughout the Commonwealth, (iii) allows the tenant of a multifamily residential building or the owner of a condominium unit to buy electric power from renewable energy facilities installed by the owner of the rental units or common areas of the condominium, (iv) establishes a shared solar program that allows customers to purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility, (v) raises the cap for net-metered nonresidential generation facilities from one megawatt to three megawatts, (vi) increases the limit on the size of a renewable facility an eligible customer-generator may install to 150 percent of expected annual energy consumption, (vii) removes the ability of utilities to assess standby charges on residential net energy metering customers, and (viii) increases the cap on the total amount of renewable energy that can be net metered in a utility's service territory from one percent to 10 percent.

Distributed renewable energy. Promotes the establishment of distributed renewable solar and other renewable energy. The measure (i) requires the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation a shared solar program that allows multifamily customers of investor-owned utilities, other than American Electric Power, to purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility; (ii) raises the cap on the total amount of renewable energy that can be net metered in a utility's service territory from one percent to six percent, five percent of which is available to all customers and one percent of which is available only to low-income utility customers; (iii) raises the cap for net-metered nonresidential generation facilities from one megawatt to three megawatts; (iv) allows certain localities to install solar or wind facilities of up to five megawatts on government-owned property and use the electricity for government-owned buildings; (v) increases the cap on the capacity of generation from facilities from the customer's expected annual energy consumption to 150 percent of such amount for customers in Dominion Energy Virginia's service territory; (vi) prohibits standby charges for any residential customer-generator or agricultural customer-generator of an investor-owned utility other than Dominion Energy Virginia; and (vii) increases the cap on third party power purchase agreements to 500 megawatts for jurisdictional customers and 500 megawatts for nonjurisdictional customers of Dominion Energy Virginia and to 40 megawatts for customers of American Electric Power. The measure also amends the Commonwealth Energy Policy to include provisions supporting distributed generation of renewable energy. This bill is identical to HB 572, HB 1184, and SB 710.

Electric utility regulation; third-party sales agreements;public generating facilities; net energy metering; community solar. Themeasure (i) authorizes localities to install solar-powered or wind-poweredelectric generation facilities and credit the electricity they generate to itsmetered accounts at the same rate that it would be charged for the power by theutility, (ii) authorizes third-party power purchase agreements for all customerclasses throughout the Commonwealth, (iii) allows the tenant of a multifamilyresidential building or the owner of a condominium unit to buy electric powerfrom renewable energy facilities installed by the owner of the rental units orcommon areas of the condominium, (iv) establishes a shared solar program thatallows customers to purchase electric power through a subscription in a sharedsolar facility, (v) raises the cap for net-metered nonresidential generationfacilities from one megawatt to three megawatts, (vi) increases the limit onthe size of a renewable facility an eligible customer-generator may install to150 percent of expected annual energy consumption, (vii) removes the ability ofutilities to assess standby charges on residential net energy meteringcustomers, and (viii) increases the cap on the total amount of renewable energythat can be net metered in a utility's service territory from one percent to 10percent. The measure also repeals the enabling legislation for pilot programsfor third-party power purchase agreements and for community solar developments.