Electric utilities; small portable solar generation devices.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text specifies that devices must include a feature preventing power export to the grid or affecting building electrical systems during outages, but it does not explicitly state this as a requirement in the summary provided by the candidate explanation.

Rules for Small Portable Solar Devices

This law allows customers to own and use small portable solar devices without needing approval from their utility company, and it protects the utility companies from liability related to these devices.

What This Bill Does

• Defines a 'small portable solar generation device' as a moveable solar panel that can plug into a standard outlet with no more than 1,200 watts of power output, not designed to be interconnected with the electric grid and intended primarily to offset part of the customer's electricity consumption.
• Allows customers to own and use small portable solar devices without needing approval from their utility company or paying extra fees.
• Requires these devices to have safety features so they do not send electricity back to the grid during outages.
• Protects electric companies from being responsible for any damage caused by these devices.

Who It Names or Affects

• Electric utility customers who want to use small portable solar generation devices.
• Investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, and electric cooperatives.

Terms To Know

Interconnection requirements

Rules that require a device to be connected to the main electricity grid.

Net energy metering provisions

Rules about how customers are compensated for extra power they send back to the grid.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not specify what happens if a device is used improperly or causes damage.
• It only applies to small portable solar devices and does not cover larger, fixed solar systems.

Official Summary Text

Electric utilities; small portable solar generation devices.
Permits any electric utility customer to own and operate a small portable solar generation device, defined in the bill as a nationally certified, plug-in solar photovoltaic device with a maximum power output of no more than 1,200 watts at a single premise that is not designed to be interconnected with the electric grid and is intended primarily to offset part of the customer's electricity consumption. The bill prohibits an investor-owned utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative from imposing interconnection requirements, charging any fee related to the device, or requiring that the customer obtain the utility's approval before installing or using the device. Under the bill, no electric utility or electric cooperative shall be liable for damage or injury caused by a small portable solar generation device.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 23 of Title 56 a section numbered
56-596.7
, relating to electric utilities; small portable solar generation devices.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 23 of Title 56 a section numbered
56-596.7
as follows:

§
56-596.7
. Small portable solar generation devices; exempt
from interconnection.

A. As used in this section, a "small portable solar generation device" means a moveable photovoltaic gener
ation device that (i) has a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts
at a single premise
,
(ii) is designed to be connected to the electrical system of a building through a standard 120-volt alternating current outlet
,
(iii) is
not designed to be interconnected with the electric grid
,
(iv) is located on the customer's side of the electric meter and
intended primarily to offset part of the customer's electricity consumption
,
(v) meets the standards of the most recent version of the National Electric
al
Code
,
and (v
i
) is certified
by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, as described in 29 C.F.R. § 1910.7,
or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory.

B. Any customer of an investor-owned utility,
municipal utility, or electric cooperative may own and operate a small portable solar generation device that meets the requirements of this section without being subject to
interconnection requirements
,
net energy metering provisions
,
or any other provision o
f
law
requiring reimbursement to or approval from the electric utility to own and operate
the
small portable solar generation device
.
No investor-owned utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative shall require a customer using a small portable solar generation device to obtain the utility's approval before installing or using the device, pay any fee or charge related to the device, or install any additional controls or equipment beyond what is integrated with the device.

C. A customer that owns and operates a small portable solar generation device shall ensure that the
device includes a device or feature that prevents the
device from
exporting power to the electric grid or from
affecting the electrical system of the building during a power outage.

D.
No investor-owned utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative shall be liable for any damage or injury caused by a small portable solar generation device.