View Amendment Current Amendment: 9a to Bill 4950 Rep. BALLENTINE proposes the following Amendment No. 9a to H.4950 as passed by the House of Representatives
(Doc Name COUNCIL\DG\4950C029.BBM.DG18.DOCX):

EXPLANATION:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 117, GENERAL PROVISIONS, page 510, after line 3, by adding an appropriately numbered paragraph to read:
/ (GP: Net energy metering)      (A)      The General Assembly finds:
           (1)      the General Assembly passed Act 236 of 2014 to promote the establishment of a reliable, efficient, and diversified portfolio of distributed energy resources for the State; and
           (2)      Act 236 of 2014 successfully resulted in the rapid development and expansion of the solar power marketplace in this State; and
           (3)      it is necessary to preserve the important role of the emerging solar industry as it becomes sustainable, without subsidies, in our diversifying energy market; and
           (4)      the Public Service Commission approved in Order 2015-194 a settlement agreement that provides for a 1:1 kilowatt hour ("kWh") crediting rate ("1:1 Rate") whereby each kWh of electricity produced by a customer-generator is credited at the full retail rate.
     (B)      In the current fiscal year and from the funds appropriated and/or authorized to the Public Service Commission, for purposes of Chapter 40, Title 58 of the 1976 Code, an electrical utility shall make net energy metering available to customer-generators on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the rights accorded customer-generators by Commission Order 2015-194 until the total nameplate generating capacity of net energy metering systems equals four percent of the previous five-year average of the electrical utility's South Carolina retail peak demand. No electrical utility must be required to approve an application for interconnection from net energy metering customer-generators if the total rated generating capacity of all applications for interconnection from net energy metering customer-generators already approved to date by the electrical utility equals or exceeds four percent of the previous five-year average of the electrical utility's South Carolina retail peak demand.
     (C)(1)      From the funds appropriated and/or authorized to the Public Service Commission, there is created the "Renewable Energy Development Joint Study Committee" to support the development of renewable energy resources and production facilities to generate electricity. The study committee specifically shall investigate, examine, and develop appropriate recommendations addressing:
           (a)      ratemaking methodologies, cost allocations, and rate designs for all retail electric customers in South Carolina;
           (b)      strategies for ensuring the fairest allocation of system costs and benefits related to renewable energy resources and Act 236 of 2014 between consumers, including consumers who either do or do not utilize distributed energy resources;
           (c)      strategies to build upon the successful deployment of renewable energy generating capacity through the South Carolina Distributed Resource Act and to continue enabling market-driven, private investment in distributed energy resources across the State by reducing regulatory and administrative burdens to customer installation and utilization of onsite distributed energy resources;
           (d)      the current status of the progress and implementation of Act 236 of 2014 and strategies to enhance the act's progress and success; and
           (e)      job retention and growth in the renewable energy industry.
           (2)      The study committee must be composed of the following members:
           (a)      one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
           (b)      one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives;
           (c)      one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
           (d)      one member of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
           (e)      one member of the Senate appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;
           (f)      one member of the Senate appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;
           (g)      one member representing each of the following organizations to be appointed by the Governor:
South Carolina Public Service Authority
Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.
The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc.
South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce
South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
South Carolina Manufacturing Alliance
Nucor Steel
Solbridge Energy, LLC
South Carolina Coastal Conservation League
South Carolina Solar Business Alliance, LLC
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC
The Alliance for Solar Choice
South Carolina Electric & Gas Company
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
Duke Energy Progress, Inc.
South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff
Sierra Club
Sunrun Solar
South Carolina Energy Users Committee
Wal-Mart Stores East, LP and Sam's East, Inc.
Municipal Association of South Carolina
South Carolina Association of Counties
Conservation Voters of South Carolina
South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center
Southern Environmental Law Center
Vote Solar
Solar Energy Industries Association
South Carolina Chapter of the NAACP
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
     the study committee must be cochaired by the appointee of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the appointee of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The study committee shall conduct its meetings at places and times it deems necessary to enable it to perform its duties and accomplish its objectives and purposes. the study committee may request administrative assistance from staffs of the House of Representatives Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee. the members of the study committee shall serve without compensation, and service on the committee does not constitute an office for purposes of the South Carolina Constitution's prohibition against dual officeholding.
           (3)      The study committee shall prepare a report for the General Assembly that sets forth its findings and recommendations. The study committee shall deliver copies of its report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate no later than January 8, 2019, at which time the study committee is dissolved.            /

Renumber sections to conform.
Amend totals and titles to conform.