Bill > SB203

This bill, known as the Georgia Homegrown Solar Act of 2025, aims to encourage solar energy development by establishing a community solar program that allows electric utility customers to participate in off-site solar facilities. The bill defines a community solar facility as a solar energy system connected to the electric utility's distribution system, located within the same service territory, with specific restrictions on ownership and capacity. The legislation requires electric utilities to create a program by January 1, 2027 that provides bill credits to subscribers, with credits based on the utility's total retail rate and with provisions for rolling over excess credits. The bill mandates nondiscriminatory interconnection of solar facilities, establishes consumer protections, and requires electric utilities to provide customers with access to their meter usage data in electronic form. Community solar organizations are prohibited from charging credit checks or exit fees and must sell subscriptions that result in bill savings for subscribers. The bill also creates an Interconnection Working Group to review and recommend improvements to the interconnection process, with the goal of supporting solar energy development, stimulating economic growth, promoting energy resilience, and helping customers manage their electric bills. The legislation applies specifically to electric utilities regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission and is set to become effective on July 1, 2025.

Business and Industry

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70498