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H7139 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH PROGRAM (Requires that any costs, tariffs or other mandates related to the state’s renewable energy growth program be reviewed and approved by the general assembly.)

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH PROGRAM (Requires that any costs, tariffs or other mandates related to the state’s renewable energy growth program be reviewed and approved by the general assembly.)

Energy
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Place, Hopkins, Paplauskas, Roberts, Newberry, Nardone, Quattrocchi, Chippendale, Fascia
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH PROGRAM (Requires that any costs, tariffs or other mandates related to the state’s renewable energy growth program be reviewed and approved by the general assembly.)

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH PROGRAM (Requires that any costs, tariffs or other mandates related to the state’s renewable energy growth program be reviewed and approved by the general assembly.)

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH PROGRAM (Requires that any costs, tariffs or other mandates related to the state’s renewable energy growth program be reviewed and approved by the general assembly.)

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-19 Committee

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  2. 2026-03-13 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/19/2026)

  3. 2026-01-16 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Introduced, referred to House Corporations

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH PROGRAM (Requires that any costs, tariffs or other mandates related to the state’s renewable energy growth program be reviewed and approved by the general assembly.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H7139

2026 -- H 7139
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LC003623
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE RENEWABLE ENERGY
GROWTH PROGRAM

Introduced By:
Representatives Place, Hopkins, Paplauskas, Roberts, Newberry,
Nardone, Quattrocchi, Chippendale, and Fascia

Date Introduced:
January 16, 2026

Referred To:
House Corporations
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Section 39-26.6-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-26.6 entitled "The
2
Renewable Energy Growth Program" is hereby amended to read as follows:
3

39-26.6-2. Renewable energy growth program established.
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To carry out these purposes, a tariff-based, renewable energy distributed-generation
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financing program, hereinafter referred to as the renewable energy growth program, is hereby
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established with the intention of continuing the development of renewable energy distributed
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generation in the load zone of the electric distribution company at reasonable cost. The program
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shall be designed to finance the development, construction, and operation of renewable energy
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distributed-generation projects over five (5) years through a performance-based incentive system
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that is designed to achieve specified megawatt targets at reasonable cost through competitive
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processes. The renewable energy growth program shall be implemented by the electric distribution
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company, and guided by the distributed-generation board, in consultation with the office of energy
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resources, subject to the review and supervision of the commission
; provided, however, that any
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tariffs, costs or other mandates imposed under §§ 39-26.6-5, 39-26.6-6, 39-26.6-13, 39-26.6-18 or
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39-26.6-25 shall be subject to review and approval by the general assembly
.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC003623
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE RENEWABLE ENERGY
GROWTH PROGRAM
***
1
This act would require that any costs, tariffs or other mandates related to the state’s
2
renewable energy growth program be reviewed and approved by the general assembly.
3
This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003623
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