Solar Industry Urges Nevada PUC to Change Course on Draft Order that Makes Residential Solar More Expensive - CleanTechnica

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUC) has released a draft order that would increase the cost of rooftop solar for residential customers in the state. The draft mandates a demand charge on all residential customers in southern Nevada and changes the rules for new solar customers in northern Nevada. Wil Gehl, senior manager for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) in the Intermountain West region, criticized the draft for contradicting the Nevada legislature’s intent to restore net metering and for making solar less accessible to Nevada families. He emphasized that this move is a significant setback, especially as federal support for residential solar has recently ended, creating greater barriers for homeowners seeking to reduce their electricity bills through solar energy. The SEIA highlights that Nevada is a leader in residential solar adoption, with over 144,000 homes equipped with solar panels and ranking third in the nation for residential solar capacity per capita. The draft order is seen as discouraging private investment in clean energy at a critical time when the state’s