Vote Solar Raises Alarm about New Proposal from California Public Utilities Commission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2024

Media Contact: Ariella Sult, asult@votesolar.org

Vote Solar Raises Alarm about New Proposal from California Public Utilities Commission

Sacramento, CA – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will meet Thursday, May 30, to vote on a Proposed Decision (PD) that will shape the direction of California’s community solar program. On Tuesday, the CPUC issued a revised proposal that removes reference to community solar violating the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), but continues to rely on existing programs that have failed to spur widespread community solar access in California.

Vote Solar, a national nonprofit focused on just and equitable clean energy policy, has been calling for the issuance of a revised proposal by the CPUC in order to permit community solar programs and to allow a tariff policy for subscribers, known as the Net Value Billing Tariff (NVBT).

Vote Solar Regulatory Director of the West, Steve Campbell, issued the below statement:

“The revised proposal from the California Public Utilities Commission is extremely disappointing. There are on-the-record modifications the Commission could still make to satisfy concerns about costs exceeding benefits, that they are choosing to ignore. This PD leaves community solar at the margins instead of making the program a central part of the state’s clean energy transition. The absence of a robust community solar option will deny roughly half of Californians access to clean renewable energy, electric bill savings and hinders progress toward the state’s climate goals. The commission can, and must do better. Vote Solar will continue to advance  common-sense recommendations to deliver a community solar program Californians deserve.”