SB 6081 — Concerning distributed generation.

S-4177.2SUBSTITUTES-3268.2SENATE SENATE BILL 6081State of Washington65th Legislature2018 Regular SessionBy Senate Energy, Environment & Technology (originally sponsored by Senators Palumbo, Carlyle, Mullet, Wellman, Ranker, Keiser, McCoy, Frockt, Rolfes, Pedersen, and Hasegawa)READHasegawaPrefiled FIRST01/04/18. TIME 01/24/18.AN ACT Relating to distributed generation;

Read first time 01/08/18.

Referred to Committee on Energy, Environment & Technology.AN ACT Relating to distributed generation;

and adding a new section to chapter 19.27 RCW;RCW.BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:Sec. 1.  RCW 80.60.020 and 2007 c 323 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:(1) An electric utility:(a) Shall offer to make net metering available to eligible customers-generators on a first-come, first-served basis ((until the cumulative generating capacity of net metering systems equals 0.25 percent of the utility's peak demand during 1996.

creatingOn aJanuary new1, section;2014, the cumulative generating capacity available to net metering systems will equal 0.5 percent of the utility's peak demand during 1996.

andNot providingless anthan expirationone-half date.BEof ITthe ENACTEDutility's BY1996 THEpeak LEGISLATUREdemand OFavailable THEfor STATEnet OFmetering WASHINGTON:Sec. 1.  RCWsystems 80.60.020shall andbe 2007reserved cfor 323the scumulative 2generating arecapacity eachattributable amended to readnet asmetering follows:(1)systems Anthat electricgenerate utility:(a)renewable energy));(b) Shall offerallow to make net metering availablesystems to eligiblebe customers-generatorsinterconnected onusing a first-come,standard first-servedkilowatt-hour basismeter untilcapable of registering the cumulativeflow generatingof capacityelectricity in two directions, unless the commission, in the case of netan electrical company, or the appropriate governing body, in the case of other electric utilities, determines, after appropriate notice and opportunity for comment:(i) That the use of additional metering systemsequipment equalsto 0.25monitor percentthe flow of electricity in each direction is necessary and appropriate for the utility'sinterconnection peakof demandnet duringmetering 1996.systems, after taking into account the benefits and costs of purchasing and installing additional metering equipment;

On January 1, 2014, the cumulative generating capacity available to net metering systems will equal ((0.5)) six percent of the utility's peak demand during 1996.

Not less than one-half of the utility's 1996 peak demand available for net metering systems shall be reserved for the cumulative generating capacity attributable to net metering systems that generate renewable energy;(b) Shall allow net metering systems to be interconnected using a standard kilowatt-hour meter capable of registering the flow of electricity in two directions, unless the commission, in the case of an electrical company, or the appropriate governing body, in the case of other electric utilities, determines, after appropriate notice and opportunity for comment:(i) That the use of additional metering equipment to monitor the flow of electricity in each direction is necessary and appropriate for the interconnection of net metering systems, after taking into account the benefits and costs of purchasing and installing additional metering equipment;

and(3) The total amount of kilowatt-hours of electricity consumed for the most recent twelve-month period.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 19.27 RCW to read as follows:The state building code council, in consultation with the department of commerce and local governments, shall conduct a study of the state building code and adopt changes necessary to encourage greater use of renewable energy systems as defined in RCW 82.16.110.NEW82.16.110.--- SECTION.  Sec. 5.  (1)END The--- department of commerce shall convene a work group to identify issues and laws associated with the future of net metering.

The work group shall include representatives from consumer-owned utilities, investor-owned utilities, the utilities and transportation commission, the solar industry, and any other relevant participants.

The department of commerce shall report the work group's recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2019.

The work group recommendations must identify the specific circumstances in which changes in compensation for net metering systems would be warranted and what the policy should be for customer-generators in the same rate class.

The work group shall also provide an inventory of other state net metering laws.(2) This section expires June 30, 2020.--- END ---