S 2658Renewable Energy

Public Utilities and Carriers - Portable Solar Generation Device

This bill allows residents to use small, plug-in solar panels without needing permission from or paying fees to the electric company.

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Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee Senate Environment & Agriculture

Plain-English Summary

This legislation creates a new category in state law for "portable solar generation devices," which are small, movable solar panels (under 1,200 watts) that plug into standard wall outlets. The bill exempts these specific devices from the complex interconnection agreements and regulations typically required for solar installations in Rhode Island. It explicitly prohibits electric utility companies from requiring prior approval, charging fees, or mandating additional equipment for these devices, provided the devices meet specific safety standards and automatically shut off during power outages to prevent safety hazards.

For younger readers

Imagine you have a small solar panel that you can just plug into a wall outlet in your house, kind of like plugging in a toaster. This bill says you are allowed to use these small solar panels to make your own electricity without asking the power company for permission first. It also says the power company cannot charge you extra money for using them. The solar panel must be safe and turn off automatically if the power goes out so it doesn't hurt anyone working on the power lines.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

RentersHomeownersElectric Distribution Companies (Rhode Island Energy)Solar Equipment RetailersElectricians

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Democratizes access to renewable energy by allowing renters and low-income individuals to utilize solar power without owning a home or affording expensive rooftop installations.
Reduces the carbon footprint by encouraging decentralized, clean energy generation, contributing to environmental justice and climate goals.
Empowers consumers against utility monopolies by prohibiting corporate gatekeeping, fees, and bureaucratic hurdles for personal energy generation.
Absolves utility corporations of liability for damages or injuries caused by these devices, potentially leaving individual consumers with little recourse in the event of an accident.
Could create safety hazards in older, lower-income housing stock if internal wiring cannot handle the back-fed power, potentially risking fires in vulnerable communities.
Lacks provisions for government subsidies or programs to help the poorest residents purchase these devices, potentially limiting the benefits to those with disposable income.

For Conservatives

Promotes deregulation by removing bureaucratic red tape and eliminating the need for government-mandated interconnection agreements for private property owners.
Protects individual property rights and energy independence by preventing utility monopolies from interfering with a homeowner's ability to generate their own power.
Encourages free-market innovation and consumer choice by removing fees and approval processes that stifle the adoption of new technologies.
Interferes with private business operations by dictating what terms electrical corporations can or cannot set regarding equipment connected to their infrastructure.
Could compromise the reliability and safety of the electrical grid, potentially risking the wellbeing of the community and utility workers for the sake of individual convenience.
May result in cost-shifting where non-solar customers effectively subsidize the grid maintenance costs for those using these devices to lower their bills.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 105 additions

SECTION 1. Title 39 of the General Laws entitled "PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 39-36-1. Definitions. When used in this chapter, these terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) "Annualized billing period" means:

(i) A twelve (12) month billing cycle beginning on April 1 of one year and ending on March 31 of the following year; or

(ii) An additional twelve (12) month billing cycle as defined by an electrical corporation's net metering tariff or rate schedule.

(2) "Customer-generated electricity" means electricity that:

(i) Is generated by a customer generation system for a customer participating in a net metering program;

(ii) Exceeds the electricity the customer needs for the customer's own use; and

(iii) Is supplied to the electrical corporation administering the net metering program.

(3) "Customer generation system" means:

(i) An eligible facility that is used to supply energy to or for a specific customer that:

(A) Has a generating capacity of:

(I) More than one thousand two hundred watts (1,200 W) but not more than twenty-five kilowatts (25 kW) for a residential facility; or

(II) Not more than two megawatts (2 MW) for a non-residential facility, unless the governing authority approves a greater generation capacity;

(B) Is located on, or adjacent to, the premises of the electrical corporation's customer, subject to the electrical corporation's service requirements;

(D) Is intended primarily to offset part or all of the customer's requirements for electricity; and

(E) Is controlled by an inverter;

(ii) Includes an electric generator and its accompanying equipment package; and

(iii) Does not include a portable solar generation device.

(4) "Eligible facility" means a facility that uses energy derived from one of the following to generate electricity:

(i) Solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy;

(ii) Wind energy;

(iii) Hydrogen;

(iv) Organic waste;

(v) Hydroelectric energy;

(vi) Waste gas and waste heat capture or recovery;

(vii) Biomass and biomass byproducts, except for the combustion of:

(A) Wood that has been treated with chemical preservatives such as creosote, pentachlorophenol, or chromated copper arsenate; or

(B) Municipal waste in a solid form;

(viii) Forest or rangeland woody debris from harvesting or thinning conducted to improve forest or rangeland ecological health and to reduce wildfire risk;

(ix) Agricultural residues;

(x) Dedicated energy crops;

(xi) Landfill gas or biogas produced from organic matter, wastewater, anaerobic digesters, or municipal solid waste; or

(xii) Geothermal energy.

(5) "Electric distribution company" or "electrical corporation" means and shall be defined as set forth in § 39-1-2.

(6) "Equipment package" means a group of components connecting an electric generator to an electric distribution system, including all interface equipment and the interface equipment's controls, switchgear, inverter, and other interface devices.

(7) "Excess customer-generated electricity" means the amount of customer-generated electricity in excess of the customer's consumption from the customer generation system during a monthly billing period, as measured at the electrical corporation's meter.

(8) "Fuel cell" means a device in which the energy of a reaction between a fuel and an oxidant is converted directly and continuously into electrical energy.

(9) "Governing authority" means:

(i) For a distribution electrical cooperative, its board of directors; and

(ii) For each other electrical corporation, the division as defined in § 39-1-2.

(10) "Inverter" means a device that:

(i) Converts direct current power into alternating current power that is compatible with power generated by Rhode Island Energy or other servicing electrical corporation; and

(ii) Has been designed, tested, and certified to UL1741 and installed and operated in accordance with the latest revision of IEEE1547, as amended.

(11) "Net electricity" means the difference, as measured at the meter owned by the electrical corporation between:

(i) The amount of electricity that an electrical corporation supplies to a customer participating in a net metering program; and

(ii) The amount of customer-generated electricity delivered to the electrical corporation.

(12) "Net metering" means and shall be defined as set forth in § 39-26.4-3.

(13) "Net metering program" means a program administered pursuant to the provisions of chapter 26.4 if title 39.

(14) "Portable solar generation device" means a moveable photovoltaic generation device that:

(i) Has a maximum power output of not more than one thousand two hundred watts (1,200 W);

(ii) Is designed to be connected to a building's electrical system through a standard one hundred twenty volt (120 V) alternating current outlet;

(iii) Is intended primarily to offset part of the customer's electricity consumption;

(iv) Meets the standards of the most recent version of the National Electrical Code; and

(v) Is certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory.

(15) "Switchgear" means the combination of electrical disconnects, fuses, or circuit breakers:

(i) Used to:

(A) Isolate electrical equipment; and

(B) De-energize equipment to allow work to be performed or faults downstream to be cleared; and

(ii) That is:

(A) Designed, tested, and certified to UL1741; and

(B) Installed and operated in accordance with the latest revision of IEEE1547, as amended. 39-36-2. Portable solar generation device -- Exemptions -- Requirements.

(a) A portable solar generation device that meets the requirements of this chapter is exempt from the interconnection requirements described in chapter 26.4 of title 39 and the requirements is to enter into a interconnection agreement pursuant to chapter 26.4 of title 39.

(b) A portable solar generation device shall include a device or feature that prevents the system from energizing the building's electrical system during a power outage.

(1) May not require a customer using a portable solar generation device to:

(i) Obtain the electrical corporation's approval before installing or using the system;

(ii) Pay any fee or charge related to the system; or

(iii) Install any additional controls or equipment beyond what is integrated into the system; and

(2) Is not liable for any damage or injury caused by a portable solar generation device.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.