Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1723
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced: 2015-07-09
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources

Electric power generation and transmission

Public utilities and utility rates

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2015-07-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-07-09
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p> <b>Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require an electric utility, upon the request of an electric consumer, to make available to the consumer interconnection service and net billing service for a solar photovoltaic system allocating electricity to multiple individual electric consumers of the utility and meeting other specified characteristics (community solar facility).</p> <p>Each state regulatory authority and each nonregulated utility must, within specified time limitations, commence consideration of and finally determine ratemaking standards.</p> <p>The bill makes conforming technical amendments to the Energy Policy Act of 2005.</p> <p>Certain ratemaking time limitations set out in PURPA, and requirements in case of a failure to comply with them, shall not apply in the case of any electric utility in a state if before enactment of this Act:</p> <ul> <li> the state has implemented the standard under this Act (or a comparable one) for the electric utility; </li> <li> the state regulatory authority or the relevant nonregulated electric utility has conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the standard (or a comparable one) for the electric utility; or </li> <li> the state legislature has voted on the implementation of the standard (or a comparable one). </li> </ul>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1723 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 9, 2015 Mr. Heinrich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to promote safe and reliable interconnection and net billing for community solar facilities.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2015 . 2. Provision of interconnection service and net billing service for community solar facilities (a) In general Section 111(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2621(d) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (20) Community solar facilities (A) Definitions In this paragraph: (i) Community solar facility The term community solar facility means a solar photovoltaic system that— (I) allocates electricity to multiple individual electric consumers of an electric utility; (II) has a nameplate rating of 2 megawatts or less; and (III) is— (aa) owned by the electric utility, jointly owned, or third-party-owned; (bb) connected to a local distribution facility of the electric utility; and (cc) located on or off the property of a consumer of the electricity. (ii) Interconnection service The term interconnection service means a service provided by an electric utility to an electric consumer, in accordance with the standards described in paragraph (15), through which a community solar facility is connected to an applicable local distribution facility. (iii) Net billing service The term net billing service means a service provided by an electric utility to an electric consumer through which electric energy generated for that electric consumer from a community solar facility may be used to offset electric energy provided by the electric utility to the electric consumer during the applicable billing period. (B) Requirement On receipt of a request of an electric consumer served by the electric utility, each electric utility shall make available to the electric consumer interconnection service and net billing service for a community solar facility. . (b) Compliance (1) Time limitations Section 112(b) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2622(b) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (7) (A) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect to each electric utility for which the State has ratemaking authority) and each nonregulated utility shall commence consideration under section 111, or set a hearing date for consideration, with respect to the standard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d). (B) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect to each electric utility for which the State has ratemaking authority), and each nonregulated electric utility shall complete the consideration and make the determination under section 111 with respect to the standard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d). . (2) Failure to comply (A) In general Section 112(c) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2622(c) ) is amended— (i) by striking such paragraph (14) and all that follows through paragraphs (16) and inserting such paragraph (14). In the case of the standard established by paragraph (15) of section 111(d), the reference contained in this subsection to the date of enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that paragraph (15). In the case of the standards established by paragraphs (16) ; and (ii) by adding at the end the following: In the case of the standard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d), the reference contained in this subsection to the date of enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that paragraph (20). . (B) Technical correction (i) In general Section 1254(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( Public Law 109–58 ; 119 Stat. 971) is amended by striking paragraph (2). (ii) Treatment The amendment made by paragraph (2) of section 1254(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( Public Law 109–58 ; 119 Stat. 971) (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act) is void, and section 112(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2622(d) ) shall be in effect as if those amendments had not been enacted. (3) Prior State actions (A) In general Section 112 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2622 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (g) Prior State actions Subsections (b) and (c) shall not apply to the standard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d) in the case of any electric utility in a State if, before the date of enactment of this subsection— (1) the State has implemented for the electric utility the standard (or a comparable standard); (2) the State regulatory authority for the State or the relevant nonregulated electric utility has conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric utility; or (3) the State legislature has voted on the implementation of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric utility. . (B) Cross-reference Section 124 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2634 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: In the case of the standard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d), the reference contained in this subsection to the date of enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that paragraph (20). .