Kansas 2023-2024 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2228

Introduced

1/30/23

Refer

1/30/23

Failed

4/30/24

Caption

Applying the requirements of net metering to electric cooperatives and municipal electric utilities, increasing the utility system-wide capacity limitation of net-metered systems, removing the load-size limitations on net-metered systems and requiring such systems to be appropriately sized based on a customer's load.

Impact

In addition to expanding capacity limits, HB2228 removes certain size restrictions on net-metered systems, allowing customer-generators to generate more electricity based on their load requirements. The legislation specifies that customer-generators must size their systems appropriately to avoid exceeding their expected load, ensuring sustainability in energy generation. The bill also introduces provisions that credit net excess energy that customer-generators produce above their monthly consumption rate, encouraging energy independence and promoting the use of renewable resources in both residential and commercial settings.

Summary

House Bill 2228 aims to update and expand the net metering policies applicable to electric public utilities in Kansas. This bill requires electric cooperatives and municipal utilities to offer net metering under revised regulations, thereby increasing access to renewable energy generation for customer-generators. A key aspect of the bill is the increase in the utility system-wide capacity limit for net-metered facilities from 1% to 10% of the utility's peak demand, which allows for more generation capacity from personal and community renewable energy installations, such as solar panels.

Contention

There are notable points of contention surrounding this bill, particularly regarding its impact on traditional utility business models and the long-term sustainability of net metering practices. Critics may argue that increasing capacity limits without stringent regulations could lead to challenges for utility companies in managing grid stability and peak load demands. Additionally, the financial implications for utilities in terms of potential lost revenues from reduced electricity sales raise questions about whether such policies could shift undue burdens onto non-participating consumers or require adjustments to overall energy pricing structures.

Latest HB2228 Activity

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB422

Increasing the capacity limitation for the total amount of facilities subject to net metering that may operate within the service territory of investor-owned electric utilities, requiring facilities to be appropriately sized based on the customer's average load and establishing requirements for exporting power to a utility from a facility subject to net metering.

KS HB2527

Authorizing electric public utilities to recover certain depreciation and construction work in progress expenses and limiting the time that such recovery may be implemented, authorizing the provision of economic development electric rates for certain large electric customers and limiting the time that such rates may be implemented, extending the timeline for the state corporation commission to issue an order in ratemaking treatment proceedings, authorizing electric public utilities to retain certain generating facilities in the utilty's rate base, prohibiting the commission from authorizing the retirement of certain generating facilities unless certain requirements are met, increasing the capacity limitation for the total amount of net metering facilities that may operate in the service territory of an investor-owned electric public utility, requiring net metering facilities to be appropriately sized based on the customer's average load and establishing requirements for exporting power from a net metering system to a utility.