Community Solar Consumer Choice Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill would require most electric utilities (except Tribal utilities, for which it's optional) to offer community solar programs that give all ratepayers — including low-income customers — fair access to shared solar energy. Subscribers would get credits on their electric bills from a local solar facility, even without installing panels on their own property.
• The Department of Energy must create a program within one year to expand community solar access for individuals (especially renters and low-income households), businesses, nonprofits, and state, local, and Tribal governments. The program must align with existing federal programs serving low-income communities.
• States and utility regulators would have one year to begin considering the new community solar standard and two years to reach a final decision. States that already have similar programs in place would be exempt from this process.
• The bill extends the maximum length of federal public utility contracts from the current limit to 30 years, making it easier for the federal government to commit to long-term solar and renewable energy agreements at lower costs.
• Community solar facilities could be owned by utilities, subscribers, or third parties, and the bill requires programs to include a mechanism preventing market concentration while delivering customer benefits.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.