The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) has initiated a rulemaking to implement a new law that requires Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas to offer community solar programs.

According to the NCUC, H.B. 589 provides that it is in the interest of the state to encourage solar leasing for retail customers and subscriptions to community-solar facilities. In this proceeding, the NCUC will adopt and modify rules, as necessary, to implement the community solar programs. The NCUC has invited comments, proposed rules and proposed rule revisions addressing, among other things, the following issues:

• A requirement to establish uniform standards and processes for community-solar facilities that allow utilities to recover reasonable interconnection costs, administrative costs, fixed costs, and variable costs associated with each facility.
• Information that must be provided to potential subscribers to ensure fair disclosure of future costs and benefits of subscriptions.
• A program schedule.
• Program promotion and outreach.
• Avoidance of cross-subsidization.
• REC ownership.

Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas must file community-solar plans by January 23, 2018.