SB 17-089

Senate Bill 17-089 in Colorado allows electric utility customers to install energy storage equipment on their property. This means homeowners and small businesses can now set up systems that store electricity for later use or as backup during outages, which helps make the power grid more reliable and efficient while also saving money. The bill ensures that utilities simplify the process of approving these installations and treats customers with energy storage fairly by not charging them extra fees compared to those without such systems. Since it has been signed into law, consumers can now proceed with installing these energy storage solutions according to the guidelines set by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

Official Summary

The bill declares that consumers of electricity have a right to install and use electricity storage systems on their property, and this will enhance the reliability and efficiency of the electric grid, save money, and reduce the need for additional electric generation facilities. The bill directs the Colorado public utilities commission to adopt rules under which: Residential and small commercial consumers can install electricity storage systems with a discharge rate of up to 25 kilowatts (kW) alternating current (AC) for later use or to provide backup in case of an outage; The utility and interconnection approval process for photovoltaic plus storage systems must be simple and streamlined, subject to electrical code and safety requirements but not more complex than existing approval requirements for photovoltaic installations; A utility whose customer installs electricity storage must use only a single revenue meter unless the storage system exceeds a discharge rate of 25 kW AC; and Any applicable standby charges, minimum charges, additional meter charges, or other fees or charges are identical as between customers with electricity storage systems and those without.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

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