Following the overwhelming passage of SB 188, bipartisan legislation that will create a Solar Shares program, the Montana Renewable Energy Association (MREA) and the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) jointly issued a letter committing to work hand-in-hand with regulators and lawmakers to put limits on a program that will deliver local energy, economic benefits and reliability for Montana families and businesses.
The letter, sent this week to the Montana Public Services Commission, highlights the industry’s strong voluntary commitment to put specific parameters on the Solar Shares program that fit the unique needs of Montana and which are based on feedback received throughout the legislative process. According to the letter, the industry will advocate for the following proactive commitments:
- Bill credits that are based on grid value only;
- Utilities should be compensated for distribution service costs to ensure they are compensated for existing infrastructure;
- Developers will pay all interconnection costs and system upgrades that are needed to interconnect facilities; and
- Cap the size of the program at a target 100 MW over the next three years to ensure managed growth.
“As stated in our letter, we are committed to working with all stakeholders to do what’s best for Montanans: expanding access to affordable, locally generated energy,” said Jeff Cramer, CEO and President of CCSA. “By providing these commitments to the Commission, we are adding another layer of protection for the state to derisk and build upon what is already a strong, bipartisan piece of legislation, and encourage the Governor to sign it into law.”
The Solar Shares program, recently approved by the Montana Legislature through SB 188 with strong bipartisan support, reflects growing demand for locally generated, affordable energy. With overwhelming votes in both chambers, the bill affirms Montanans’ desire for practical, cost-effective solutions that benefit families, small businesses and communities across the state.
“Solar Shares is a Montana-grown energy solution that can provide power locally, keep transmission costs down, and increase our grid reliability without any state subsidies,” said Brad Van Wert, President of MREA. “A pro-small business Governor and state would benefit immensely from this program.”
The Solar Shares program, if capped at 100 MW for the first three years, is projected to generate $280 million in economic impact, 1,200 local jobs and provide direct savings to a wide array of families and small businesses across the state. Additionally, these projects could be paired with localized storage to smooth out intermittency, ensure stable power delivery during peak demand periods and in variable weather conditions.
The bill is now on Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk.
News item from the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA)
