Solar bill burns out on the last day of the Kentucky legislature

A controversial proposal environmentalists feared would put the brakes on Kentucky’s solar power industry died in the Kentucky legislature Saturday when this year’s lawmaking session ended.

House Bill 227 evolved a lot over the past few months as utility companies and advocates for alternative energy sources clashed over its provisions.

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House Speaker Pro Tem David Osborne, R-Prospect, pointed out Friday how many compromises were incorporated into the solar bill over the course of the session.

However, the bill languished in the state Senate and ultimately failed to win the entire legislature’s approval.

The utility companies that lobbied for HB 227 argued that it isn’t fair to let residential customers get credit from businesses like LG&E at the retail rate for the extra electricity they produce using rooftop solar panels. But environmentalists warned lawmakers the proposal would threaten the state’s growing solar power industry.

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Legislators made major revisions, including allowing the Public Service Commission to decide the rates as critics of the bill suggested.

But the legislature did not approve HB 227 before it adjourned Saturday, leaving the controversial measure on the 2018 session's cutting room floor. Legislators are likely to consider this issue again in the future, though.

"We are very pleased with the outcome, but at the same time, we want to raise the issue of the tremendous lobbying expense incurred over two sessions now, to move legislation which only serves to protect the monopoly interests of the utilities," said Lane Boldman, Kentucky Conservation Committee director. "It is a waste of time and money at ratepayer expense.

"... We encourage lawmakers to now begin an actual dialogue with solar installers and utilities on real solutions that benefit the customer," she said.