1) Leaving a Voice Message for the Committee Members

The bills The House Federal Relations, Energy, and Telecommunications (FRET) committee will be hearing these two bills at 3 p.m. Jan. 9:  Support HB52 (Sponsored by Daniel Zolnikov, R) - Would grandfather existing net metered customers (people with rooftop solar or small wind systems) at the current rate if future rate changes are made. This bill is about fairness and consumer protection.  Support HB34 (Sponsored by Daniel Zolnikov, R) - Would raise the net metering cap to 250 kW for public buildings (i.e. schools, courthouses, state and local government offices.)

Take action by: 1) Leaving a voice message for the committee members. Call the Capitol at (406) 444-4800 during business hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, or Saturday 8:30 a.m. until they adjourn (usually by noon).

2) Emailing the Committee. Click here to send an email to the committee.

Here is more information about each bill:

The grandfathering of existing net metering customers at the current rate if future rate changes are made (HB52) is about fairness and consumer protection. When someone makes an investment in rooftop solar or wind, they should have the confidence that the rules of the game won't change.

Consumers decide to invest in solar or wind systems based on cost-benefit calculations, including the projected pay-back time. If the net metering rate is ever reduced, those customers should not have the rug pulled out from under them. It would be unfair and harmful to consumers for the terms of their net metering contract to be changed when the investment has already been made. I urge FRET committee members to support HB 52.

Support raising the net metering cap to 250 kW for public buildings like schools, courthouses, state and local government offices (HB34). This bill would help reduce the large energy bills of many public buildings and save taxpayers money.

The current 50 kW cap is insufficient to cover the energy usage of many public buildings. By raising the net metering cap to 250 kW, it will make more sense for many public buildings to invest in rooftop solar, allowing greater economies of scale, locking in their cost of power for the next 20 years, hedging against inevitable increases in utility prices, taking advantage of Montana’s great solar resource, and saving taxpayers money.

With the heated debate that has taken place over the last few sessions about net metering, making a small incremental increase for this limited class of customers will allow Montana to collect additional information about the true effect of net metering and help settle the debate. I urge FRET committee members to also support HB 34.