Massachusetts Extends Contracts, Raises Net-Metering Cap

Governor Deval Patrick signs the Massachusetts solar bill. Eric Haynes photo.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick last week signed S. 2395, extending long-term contracts between the utilities and renewable energy companies and raising the cap on net metering to 3 percent for both public and private projects. A company transitioning a coal-fired power plant to natural gas can now qualify for long-term contracts, providing the site is restored.

The new law also

• Creates a task force to address decommissioning and deconstruction of the Salem Harbor Power Plant.
• Instructs the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to investigate the need for additional capacity.
• Extends the commitment of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) money to help communities address the tax shortfall from decommissioned power plants.
• Enables more municipalities to install solar panels on community landfills.
• Requires electric companies to file for rate cases every five years and gas companies to file every ten years.
• Establishes a three-year energy efficiency rebate pilot program for the five largest gas and electric users in each service territory.

For the full story, see the Governor’s Office press release:

http://www.mass.gov/governor/pressoffice/pressreleases/2012/2012803-governor-patrick-signs-energy-bill.html

About Seth Masia
Seth Masia is editor of SOLAR TODAY Magazine and director of communications at the American Solar Energy Society.
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