8/18/2019 Solar Conference Committee Report Summary

1/2

H.4173- Solar Conference Committee Report Summary

Sections 1 and 2- Utility owned solar

Increases amount of solar a distribution company can own/operate from 25MW to 35 MW.

Projects must also receive department approval for cost approval prior to December 31, 2016 andmust be constructed prior to December 31, 2017 (prior dates were approval by June 30, 2014 and

constructed by June 30, 2016).

Section 3- New definition- “market net metering credit” 

All projects (with the exception of small residential and C&I, see sections 7 and 8) will receive

the new market net metering credit value post 1600MW. The new rate is 60% of full retail rate.

Additionally, government and municipally owned projects will continue to receive full retail rate.

Section 4- Net Metering Post 1600 MW

All projects (with the exception of small residential, C&I and government/municipal owned) will

generate the new market net metering credits.

1) If a customer nets out (produced more energy than you consume) the customer is billed for 0

kilowatt-hour usage and the excess is credited to the customer’s account. Credits may be carried

forward month-to-month. Customers may designate their credits only to those in the same

distribution company and ISO-NE load zone.

2) If the customer does not net out (consumes more than is produced, the customer is responsible

for the balance at the distribution company’s applicable rate. 

Section 5 and 6- Cap Increase

Increases the private and public caps by 3% each resulting in private 7%, public 8%

Sections 7 and 8- Residential/Small Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Exemption

Exempts Class 1 facilities with capacity of 10 kw or less single phase and 25kw or less on a 3

 phase from the new market net metering rate and maintains them at the current full retail rate.

Section 9- Minimum monthly contribution and grandfathering net metering

Distribution companies may submit to the department proposals for a monthly minimum

reliability contribution for all solar projects. The department may approve a proposal only after

conducting a full adjudicatory hearing and at least one public hearing and opportunity for public

comment. Further, the department may consider exempting or modifying the contribution for low

income ratepayers or projects in service before December 31, 2016.

8/18/2019 Solar Conference Committee Report Summary

2/2

Projects that qualified under prior net metering credit values will continue to receive those

credits for a period of 25 years from the date of interconnection. After 25 years the project shall

receive market net metering credits.

Section 10- Grandfathering solar incentive

Solar and solar thermal projects that qualified under prior solar incentive programs will continue

to be subject to and receive the benefits of those programs.

Section 11- New solar incentive program

DOER shall create a new solar incentive program that promotes the continued growth of solar

while also reducing the cost for ratepayers of the commonwealth. The program shall promote the

growth of community shared, government and municipal owned and low-income projects.

Section 12- Effective Date Section 4

Section 4 shall take effect 30 days after the effective date of this act.