SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1892        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1848

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to low income solar.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1892        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1848

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to low income solar.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 138 of chapter 164 is hereby amended by striking out in the definition of “market net metering credit”, the words “that credits shall only be allocated to an account of a municipality or government entity.” and inserting in place thereof the following:- that credits shall only be allocated to an account of a municipality or government entity or publicly-assisted housing or its residents.; and

by striking out in the definition of “net metering facility of a municipality or other governmental entity”, the words “(2) of which the municipality or other governmental entity is assigned 100 per cent of the output.” and inserting in place thereof the following:- (2) of which the municipality or other governmental entity or publicly-assisted housing or its residents are assigned 100 per cent of the output or net metering credits.; and

by inserting after the definition for “net metering facility of a municipality or other governmental entity” the following definition:- “Publicly-assisted housing”, housing as defined in Section 1 of chapter 40T.

SECTION 2. Section 139 of chapter 164 is hereby amended by striking out in subsection (b1/2) clause (1),  the words “A solar net metering facility may designate customers of the same distribution company to which the solar net metering facility is interconnected and that are located in the same ISO-NE load zone to receive such credits in amounts attributed by the solar net metering facility.” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- A solar net metering facility may designate customers of the same distribution company to which the solar net metering facility is interconnected, regardless of which ISO-NE load zone the customers are located in,  to receive such credits in amounts attributed by the solar net metering facility.; and

by inserting after clause (2) the following words:- (3) The owner of a solar net metering facility may direct the distribution company to purchase all or a portion of net metering credits from the facility at the rates provided for in this subsection.; and

by inserting after subsection (i) the following subsection:- (i 1/2) Solar net metering facilities of a municipality or other governmental entity that assign 100 per cent of the output to publicly-assisted housing or its residents shall be exempt from the aggregate net metering capacity of net metering facilities of a municipality or other governmental entity.; and

by striking out in subsection (j), the words “The department may exempt or modify any monthly minimum reliability contribution for low-income ratepayers.” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- The department shall exempt publicly-assisted housing and low-income ratepayers from any monthly minimum reliability contribution.