Public utilities commission staff denies lobbying contacts, but wont release nobles meeting records checks and balances project has been using public records requests to help citizens better understand the origins of what one couple called the christmas baitandswitch decision by the public utility commission of nevada pucn to end the solar rooftop industry in the silver state. View, 09012017, pucn launches new rooftop solar webpage. Tasc sues nevada puc to overturn net metering decision. Application of nevada power company dba nv energy, under the provisions of the utility environmental protection act, for a permit to construct the dry lake solar energy center project consisting of a 150 mw solar photovoltaic generation facility, a 230 kv overhead transmission line connecting to the existing harry allen substation, and. That was the problem with the puc s decision in december to. Nv energy asks public utilities commission to reconsider. Regulators deal a blow to rooftop solar industry las vegas. Nevada puc head sees solid future for rooftop solar. Nevada lawmakers expressed exasperation with the net metering debate at a wednesday hearing, decrying the solar industrys lobbying tactics and saying it might be time to take the decision about. After solar decision, whats next for nevadas renewable energy. Thats largely because of a solid solar policy called net metering, which basically means each kilowatthour kwh of electricity produced by a solar system reduces the homeowners energy bill on a 1to1. Carson city the public utilities commission of nevada pucn issued a key decision implementing ab405a bill which passed the legislature with bipartisan support and governor sandoval signed into law on june 15 to immediately bring rooftop solar back to nevada.
The pucn makes determinations in a number of renewable energyrelated dockets, has oversight authority regarding electric and gas utilities administration of renewable energy incentive and demonstration programs, and administers the portfolio energy credit program. Aug 18, 2016 in nevada, one of many states where taxpayers have been subsidizing solar projects for years, the public utility commission of nevada puc voted unanimously on december 23, 2015, to increase net metering rates over the next four years. Pucs decision goes beyond solar to water conservation las. This rate will be in effect until the amount of electricity produced. Nevada regulators unanimously approve rooftop solar.
Nevadas anti rooftop solar decision mirrors utility lobbys template. A nevada utility regulator says that raising fees for rooftop solar customers has not killed the industry in his state. May 09, 2016 during the recession, rooftop solar was the bright spot in the nevada economy, helton tells desmog. The docket number serves as a unique identifier for the matter. New alliance files referendum petition to reverse the nevada pucs decision. Nevada decision guts the states thriving solar industry. Thomsen said the puc is simply phasing out the net metering subsidy that has been in place in nevada since 1997. At the end of 2015, the nevada public utilities commission npuc approved new. Nevada puc rejected appeals by solar customers and industry advocates to.
Jul 28, 2016 the contentious nevada net metering battle has had consequences for many, including the departure of rooftop solar installer solarcity and sunrun, numerous lawsuits against the nevada puc, and news gov. These policies and rules govern everything from renewable energy mandates to interconnection, and have a huge effect on the viability of solar. No state considering nem changes has reneged on existing contracts like the nevada puc has done. In a nation with respect for contract law, it is pretty shocking. Nevada puc approves net metering rules expected to reboot the states rooftop solar industry. Jan 07, 2016 the changes will apply retroactively to all netmetered solar customers. Npuc regulators issued a decision rolling back net metering rates for both existing and new solar systems and did not factor in a. Set the sun on solar subsidies citizens against government. The changes will apply retroactively to all netmetered solar customers. In january 2017, nv energy asked the public utilities commission to reverse a decision regarding net metering rates for future solar customers. May 02, 2016 deep dive paul thomsen, head of nevada puc, sees bright future for rooftop solar the states chief regulator defends recent net metering decisions and outlines opportunities for clean energy growth. Thats largely because of a solid solar policy called net metering, which basically means each kilowatthour kwh of electricity produced by a solar system reduces the homeowners energy bill on a 1to1 basis, whether the energy is used to power the home or sent out to the grid. We saw this coming, nevada assembly candidate vinny. Nevada puc oks policies to help rooftop solar industry grow las.
Commission approves lower nevada power rates, closes book on decisions made. Public utilties commission of nevada docket information. Solar has been an uphill battle in nevada ever since a controversial decision last year to cut net metering that all but froze the entire rooftop solar residential market. Opinion nevadas solar baitandswitch the new york times. New alliance files referendum petition to reverse the nevada. After solar decision, whats next for nevada s renewable energy. Puc adopts report on nevada energy choice initiative las. Until further notice, pucn offices are closed to the public per governor sisolaks order. The policy information section contains all our latest research on the rules set by lawmakers and the public utilities commission, which determine how easy it is to go solar in nevada. Nevada puc approves restoring retail net metering to sierra pacific customers.
Nevada puc to reconsider grandfathering rooftop solar. My response to governor brian sandoval and the puc about the. Public utilities commission staff denies lobbying contacts, but. Its a suboptimal policy, but it works, and its already on the books. Sep 14, 2016 in a win for existing nevada solar customers on tuesday, the nevada state district court for carson city ruled that a pucn decision to hike rates on existing solar customers earlier this year was made through an unlawful process that left existing solar customers with inadequate notice and did not satisfy the due process clause of the nevada constitution. Why sunpower is expanding in nevada as solarcity leaves the state. Pucn pec administrator nevada public utilities commission. But passage of the law alone did not settle nevadas solar policy debate. The solar program has three categories of participation. Thats why the nevada solar industry grew so quickly over the past two years. Nevada regulators deny solar nem grandfathering proposal. Move to have nevada puc decide on net metering, solar cap. Nevada court overturns solar rate hike for existing customers. The public utilities commission on monday voted to adopt a report that details the potential impacts that the energy choice initiative, or question 3 on this novembers ballot, including higher.
We were booming and now were dead how nevadas solar. Solar advocates have praised the public utilities commission of nevada pucn for issuing a key decision on friday implementing the states. The state has abundant open land areas and some of the best solar potential in the country. The companies cumulatively laid off more than 600 employees after the pucs decision and halted rooftop solar sales in the state. Brian sandoval r will not reappoint noble to another term at the end of this year. The pucns prior decisions on nem net energy metering. It was a decision by the public utility commission of nevada pucn in december that delivered a fatal blow to rooftop solar in the sunniest state in the u. Why sunpower is expanding in nevada as solarcity leaves the. Solar power in nevada is growing due to a renewable portfolio standard which requires 20% renewable energy by 2015, and 5% from solar power.
Net metering customers will pay the same basic service charge and other fees as nonnet metering customers. Thats largely because of a solid solar policy called net metering, which basically means each kilowatthour kwh of electricity produced by a solar system reduces the homeowners energy bill on a. Following antisolar decision by governor sandovals puc, solarcity to cease nevada sales and installations, fight to protect customers and employees. Paul thomsen, head of nevada puc, sees bright future for. Puc made a decision and it just devastated our industry, says robco president rob kowalczik.
Solarcity stopping nevada sales, installations after puc ruling. The pucn assigns a docket number to all new filings applications, petitions, rulemakings, investigations, etc. Nevada puc approves net metering rules expected to reboot the. Nevada puc chair speaks out on solar decision krnv. Patricia farley r that punted the final decision on net metering over to the. Now, in what amounts to a massive bait and switch for the local solar industry and its customers right before the holidays, the governors puc has chosen to. Nevada puc approves restoring retail net metering to sierra pacific. The contentious nevada net metering battle has had consequences for many, including the departure of rooftop solar installer solarcity and sunrun, numerous lawsuits against the nevada puc, and news gov. Todays decision finally brought solar back to nevada. Scty today announced that as a result of the decision by the nevada public utilities commission to severely undermine nevadans ability to go solar, the.
The solar debate became even more heated following the december rate hike and the decision by the puc in january to keep the new rates, leading to. Solarcity is ceasing solar sales and installation in nevada effective immediately, following the nevada public utilities commissions puc recent antisolar decision. I guess that the coal fired power plants in nevada are better than solar. The solar program is subject to changes made by the nevada legislature and the pucn. The decision restored more favorable net metering rates for some rooftop solar customers in northern nevada.
Installations must be permitted through the local building authority and interconnections must be performed by a nevada licensed c 2 or c2g electrical contractor. Nevada puc chair noble speaks on nevada rooftop solar net. The nevada public utility commissions decision to amend rates for net metering has left solar installers in the state in a precarious position with business having all but ground to a halt. Nevada s public utilities commission did not fully grandfather them in prior. Public utilities commission of nevada makes decision on solar. In a win for existing nevada solar customers on tuesday, the nevada state district court for carson city ruled that a pucn decision to hike rates on existing solar customers earlier this year was made through an unlawful process that left existing solar customers with inadequate notice and did not satisfy the due process clause of the nevada constitution. Pucs decision goes beyond solar to water conservation. Nevada puc decides on 12year plan to gradually raise solar. Solarcity stopping nevada sales, installations after puc. Following antisolar decision by governor sandovals puc. Nevadas antirooftop solar decision mirrors lobbys template. The absence of a grandfather provision was the first time that has occurred in a net metering decision in the u. It was a decision by the public utility commission of nevada pucn in december that delivered a. The intrepid solar pioneers who were the early solar adopters will now see their investment ruined.
Mar 22, 2016 tasc sues nevada puc to overturn net metering decision. Nevada puc may be setting state on path toward grid defection. During the recession, rooftop solar was the bright spot in the nevada economy, helton tells desmog. Nevada solar customers are likely to cheer the pucs decision. The nevada public utilities commission approved an order friday that establishes. The nevada puc has kneecapped solar in the state and is sticking to it. How a solar decision in nevada could shape the 2016. Such a scene would have been difficult to imagine in december 2015 when the public utilities. This is the current net metering rate for those who agree to net meter on or after the effective date of june 15, 2017.
Jun 16, 2017 nevada boosts solar power, reversing course. Nevada s governor, brian sandoval, and nv energy defended the puc decision, saying that the current rate structure put too large a burden for maintaining the grid on non solar consumers. This decision by the public utilities commission is a setback in our efforts to make nevada the solar capital of the country. He said, first of all, i would not call this a solar rate hike, i would say were. Jan 14, 2016 nevada decision guts the states thriving solar industry. Solar advocates praise nevada puc decision solar industry. In nevada, one of many states where taxpayers have been subsidizing solar projects for years, the public utility commission of nevada puc voted unanimously on december 23, 2015, to increase net metering rates over the next four years. Such a scene would have been difficult to imagine in december 2015 when the public utilities commission voted to end net metering as the credits. Nevadas bizarre decision to throttle its own solar industry, explained. How a solar decision in nevada could shape the 2016 presidential results. It reverses a highly controversial decision the puc made in december, which tacked on fees and removed net metering, which is. View, 09092019, public utilities commission of nevada schedules consumer. That was the problem with the pucs decision in december to.
New alliance files referendum petition to reverse the nevada pucs decision to eliminate the rooftop solar industry. Net metering in nevada is a public policy and political issue surrounding the rates that nevada. Sep 01, 2017 carson city the public utilities commission of nevada pucn issued a key decision implementing ab405a bill which passed the legislature with bipartisan support and governor sandoval signed into law on june 15 to immediately bring rooftop solar back to nevada. Nevada is one of the sunniest states in the country, and until recently it was one of the best places to go solar. Two days before the vote, solarcity declared that it would cease operations in the state if the subsidies were repealed. Nevada boosts solar power, reversing course scientific american. Sep 05, 2017 solar advocates have praised the public utilities commission of nevada pucn for issuing a key decision on friday implementing the states new net energy metering nem law and rejecting. Deep dive paul thomsen, head of nevada puc, sees bright future for rooftop solar the states chief regulator defends recent net metering decisions.