BATON ROUGE, September 11, 2019 - The Louisiana Public Service Commission in a 3-2 vote today approved staff recommended changes to net metering policies for solar customers over the objection of consumers and industry stakeholders. Under the approved changes, new rooftop solar customers will no longer receive the retail rate for energy sent back to the grid and instead only be compensated at the "avoided cost" of the utilities.
These rates going forward are far below what studies across the nation have calculated the value of solar to be and will send Louisiana to the bottom of renewable energy rankings.
“Today’s vote was a job killer and an insult to the people of our state. Instead of moving Louisiana forward, the Public Service Commission - fueled by the utility companies - moved Louisiana backwards. With this vote, Louisiana goes from 31st in the nation in net metering to 47th, and we are now dead last in the country in overall solar support. Why do we have to be at the bottom of yet another list? How long are we going to let the monopoly utilities create the rules?
Despite this huge setback, PosiGen is committed to Louisiana and will continue to fight for Louisiana citizen’s rights to choose solar.”Tom Neyhart, PosiGen CEO
Commissioner Lambert Boissiere and Commissioner Foster Campbell proposed a compromise which would simplify the complex dual channel billing process and go to pure net metering. This practice would make consumer's bills more predictable and provide equal treatment of energy consumed over the course of the year. This compromise was voted down along the same 3-2 vote line.
"With the compromise vote, the PSC had an opportunity today to achieve the type of policy reform they were after and still preserve the return on investment the solar industry and its customers need to continue to invest in Louisiana. Instead, we have sent a clear signal to the rest of the nation that Louisiana is not open for business for renewables." Stephen Wright, Gulf States Renewable Energy Industry Association
This vote officially closes the docket but advocates across the state plan to make this a campaign issue in next year's LPSC elections.
