Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Solar Consolidated Billing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public Service Commission adopts consolidated billing rules for Maryland community solar
Summary
The Maryland Public Service Commission voted to adopt a new COMAR chapter requiring electric companies to provide a single consolidated bill for community solar subscribers and to file tariffs for implementation; the rules set a Jan. 1, 2026 implementation deadline and require at least a 10% savings rate for low- and moderate-income subscribers.
The Public Service Commission voted to adopt final regulations establishing consolidated billing for the Maryland Community Solar Program, requiring electric companies to implement consolidated billing by Jan. 1, 2026.
The new regulations—added as a COMAR chapter concerning consolidated billing for community solar—require subscriber organizations to set a savings rate for each customer and mandate that that rate be at least 10% for low- and moderate-income subscribers. The rules direct utilities to present a single consolidated bill showing subscription charges and how community solar credits are applied, and require utilities to remit subscription charges to community solar providers minus an administrative fee approved by the commission.
Phil Vander Hayden, a member of the commission's technical staff, presented the draft rules for final adoption and described the net-crediting framework. "This approach ensures that a subscriber's community solar credit is first applied to their subscription fee and then to their utility charges, streamlining the process into a single consolidated bill from the utility," Vander Hayden said. He told commissioners the rules "require electric companies to implement consolidated billing by 01/01/2026" and that the technical staff and the Net Metering Working Group drafted the regulations following the commission's prior order in Rulemaking RM 56.
Under the rules, electric companies must file tariffs consistent with the regulations, as required by Public Utilities Article section 7-306.2; those tariff filings are subject to commission review and approval. The commission will also review and approve the administrative fee utilities may retain for performing consolidated billing. Vander Hayden said the law requires the fee to be reasonable and provides guidance for the commission's determination.
The technical staff said the draft regulations had been published for public comment in the July 25, 2025, edition of the Maryland Register and that the comment period has closed. No parties offered comments at the meeting before the adoption vote.
Commissioners voted to adopt the new chapter and regulations as published, subject to non-substantive changes to conform to COMAR drafting requirements. Chair Hoover moved to adopt the chapter and regulations; Commissioners McLean, Linton and Barbet each recorded aye votes and Chair Hoover also recorded an aye. The motion passed.
Next steps identified at the meeting include electric companies filing tariffs for commission approval and the commission establishing a reasonable administrative fee that utilities may retain. The commission's order in Rulemaking RM 56 and the Public Utilities Article provisions cited during the presentation will guide implementation and the commission's review of tariff filings and fees.
