All Roll Calls
Yes: 178 • No: 33
Sponsored By: Scott A. Surovell (Democratic)
Became Law
Electric utilities; shared solar programs; Phase I Utility. Amends certain provisions related to the shared solar program established by the State Corporation Commission for Appalachian Power Company. The bill permits excess bill credits to be distributed to shared solar subscribers more than once annually. The bill also requires the utility in administering its shared solar program to require net crediting functionality for customer utility bills, as described in the bill. The bill also directs Appalachian Power to (i) release an additional 50 megawatts as part two of the shared solar program on July 1, 2026; (ii) release a further additional 50 megawatts as part three of the shared solar program by January 1, 2028; and (iii) petition the Commission to initiate a shared solar expansion proceeding to determine the capacity for part four of the shared solar program by May 1, 2029. See final enactments for bill effective date. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 809.
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7 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Customers of a Phase I utility can join a shared solar project and get monthly bill credits. Your credit equals your share of the project’s kWh times your class’s $/kWh credit rate, which the Commission sets each year. If your credit is larger than your bill minus the minimum bill, the extra carries to next month. Utilities must apply credits within two billing cycles and report each month how credits were applied. Subscriber groups send monthly subscriber lists and can hold extra credits and give allocation instructions at least once a year. Bill credits last at least 25 years from when a project starts operating.
All customer classes can join shared solar, and you cannot be moved to a different class to join. Residential customers do not face credit checks. You can keep or transfer your subscription if you move within the same utility area. Low-income subscribers must get at least 10% lifetime net savings compared to their subscription fees. You get standard disclosure forms and education on terms. Your usage data can be shared only with your clear written or electronic consent.
The program starts with 50 MW or 6% of peak load, whichever is less. It adds 50 MW on July 1, 2026, and another 50 MW by January 1, 2028. By May 1, 2029, the utility must ask the Commission to set future capacity based on cost, economic, and clean-energy studies. Phase I utilities must file needed tariffs and forms by July 1, 2025. The Commission updates rules by December 31, 2026, and utilities file by March 1, 2027; net crediting starts July 1, 2027. Utilities must begin crediting within 180 days after final rules for facilities already interconnected, and the rules include a rollout schedule.
The Commission sets a minimum bill that subscribers must still pay. Credits cannot lower your bill below this amount. Utilities can recover reasonable costs to run the shared solar program. Utilities may also recover the difference between bill credits they give and the cost of the energy supplied by the project as a purchased-power cost. These rules can limit your monthly savings and may show up in electric rates over time.
Renewable energy certificates from shared solar projects go to the utility. The utility retires them to meet its clean‑energy standard. Subscribers cannot keep or sell these environmental certificates.
You can choose net crediting, where the utility puts your subscription fee and credit on the same bill. Your net credit equals the bill credit minus the subscription fee. The fee charged this way cannot be more than 1% of your bill credit. You never pay more in subscription fees than you get in bill credits in any billing period. This rule takes effect July 1, 2027.
Interconnection rules must be fair and efficient. Utilities can recover reasonable interconnection costs through fees. Developers may place two or more shared solar facilities on a single parcel, under Commission guidelines. Projects on rooftops, brownfields, landfills, or dual-use farms can get incentives. These rules help projects move forward while setting cost and siting standards.
Scott A. Surovell
Democratic • Senate
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 178 • No: 33
House vote • 2/27/2026
Passed House
Yes: 86 • No: 10
House vote • 2/24/2026
Reported from Labor and Commerce
Yes: 20 • No: 2
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Read third time and passed Senate
Yes: 23 • No: 16
Senate vote • 2/12/2026
Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/11/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/11/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/9/2026
Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute
Yes: 9 • No: 5
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0674)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 674 (Effective - see bill)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB255)
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB255ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Signed by Speaker
Passed House (86-Y 10-N 0-A)
Read third time
Read second time
Reported from Labor and Commerce (20-Y 2-N)
Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
Read first time
Placed on Calendar
Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB255)
Read third time and passed Senate (23-Y 16-N 0-A)
Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)
Read second time
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Rules suspended
Committee substitute printed 26107085D-S1
Chaptered
4/13/2026
Enrolled
3/4/2026
Substitute
2/10/2026
Substitute
2/9/2026
Introduced
1/12/2026
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