The 2018 Connecticut state law that would have ended net metering was reversed before it had a chance to take effect. On June 4, the Connecticut Senate voted 32-1 to pass HB 5002, which rescinds a 2018 state law that called for sunsetting net metering this fall. The bill delays action on net metering until after 2021.
HB 5002 also extends commercial and residential solar programs in the state. It’s now on its way to the governor’s desk, who is expected to sign it.
“The law that killed net metering here a year ago was on shaky ground from the start,” said Mike Trahan, executive director of state industry business group SolarConnecticut that worked closely with regional and national solar installer businesses as well as environmental and citizens groups to convince lawmakers to pause on the net metering change approved just a year ago. “After we got state lawmakers to understand that solar penetration in Connecticut wasn’t anywhere near the level that would trigger a departure from net metering, and that solar users would not be fairly compensated for excess generation, abandoning last year’s law came quickly. It didn’t hurt either when it was exposed that electric utilities didn’t have the technical capability to make a net metering change.”
“Putting the brakes on last year’s net metering change and creating a value of solar study were the top priorities for the solar industry members on the Lamont transition team,” Trahan continued. “We got both, and more. We’re going to come out of this stronger than we were before.”
“Sunrun applauds the Connecticut House and Senate for passing House Bill 5002 and congratulates Representative Arconti and Senator Needleman for their leadership,” said Stephen Lassiter, manager of public policy at Sunrun, in a statement. “With Governor Lamont’s signature, this bipartisan legislation will provide the solar industry the certainty it needs to boost clean energy investments, grow the state’s solar workforce, and advance Connecticut’s energy goals.”
In addition to the net metering reversal, HB 5002 also extends the commercial solar ZREC program into 2021 that annually awards 15-year contracts to developers of commercial solar projects. Incentives to install an additional 50 MW of home solar were added to the Residential Solar Investment Program (RSIP) offered through the Connecticut Green Bank. And state regulators will be required to study the value of distributed energy resources and take findings into account when determining any potential departures from net metering.
News item from SolarConnecticut
If your solar energy system was established before last year’s legislation, you can continue to receive net metering credit through Dec. 31, 2039. These “grandfathered” customers can continue using their solar energy systems as they have for the next couple of decades, presumably for the remaining lifespan of their existing installations. However, if you’re not one of these customers, you do have some alternatives.
This is what should happen through Dec. 31 , 2039 if politicians did the right thing.
This excerpt is from https://www.verogy.com/what-happened-to-net-metering-in-connecticut/#:~:text=The%20dismantling%20of%20net%20metering%20in%20Connecticut%20has,cost%20to%20taxpayers%20is%20greater%20than%20the%20benefits.
Nice Replies Raymond ! My excess KWh was zeroed and I was credited $8.07 at a rate of .0314 . Yet when I fell short last month of approximately same amount my bill was $23 plus delivery of $44 !!! Very sad how they can pass bills to steal from people who invested in solar.
Kelsey, another issue to look into, regarding solar. Representative Mary Mushinsky has introduced H.B. 6633 that appears to end or greatly reduce net metering while increasing general access to a community solar capability. She cites several state references that I don’t know how to find. The single page 6633 could have very negative impacts on those of us who saved and saved to install solar. If she is trying to penalize solar home owners the public needs to know. Please get back to me with what you can find. I’ll be trying too and will get back to you if I locate the references in her H.R. 6633.
Thank you for the heads up, Raymond. I will look into it.
Nice article and good to see the delay in net metering. However, just extending the end of net metering is not going to provide the most benefits to home owners. Net Metering needs to be a permanent regulation in CT. IN ADDITION, UI and likely the other companies, told me they, by state regulation, have to perform, what they call, “a tune up” in either the end of the March or end of the October bill. Any excess KWh that the solar customer has banked, gets zeroed out and paid at a rate of 0.07/KWh vs what we have to buy it at 0.11.91 on peak or 0.842/KWh off peak. I want to see an end to “the tune up” and keep all banked KWhs.