Community solar advocates won some breathing room Thursday when the California Public Utilities Commission postponed until May 9 a controversial vote that advocates said could crush community solar development in the state.
Update: A decision has been once again delayed. The earliest the commission can now take action on the proposal is May 30, when it will hold its next voting meeting.
The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) had hoped the CPUC would delay the vote, scheduled for April 18, rather than adopt a proposed decision based on a utility-backed community solar plan. CCSA wants the commission to adopt a net value billing tariff instead, which the organization says will fix regulatory problems that obstruct community solar in California.
“We hope the CPUC takes the additional time to re-write the proposed decision to incorporate the Net Value Billing Tariff and help meet our clean energy and equity goals,” said Derek Chernow, CCSA’s western regional director.
However, it remains uncertain what the delay actually signals.
“Delays at the CPUC are not uncommon, so this does not really say anything about whether or not the CPUC will uphold the proposed decision,” said Chris Kallaher, Ampion’s vice president of law & regulatory and general counsel. “However, it does give our industry trade groups a few more weeks to continue applying pressure to the CPUC to release a favorable final decision and not adopt the damaging and off-base pending decision.”
See Energy Changemakers’ original story on the controversy: There Might Still be a Path Forward for Community Solar in California.