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Debate over 'balcony' solar and meter‑mounted devices centers on safety vs access
Summary
Supporters urged SB 6050 to expand access to portable and meter‑mounted solar; regulators, utilities and electricians raised safety, code and enforcement gaps and asked that the National Electric Code (NEC) and certification standards be in place before broad adoption.
Senator Elias introduced Senate Bill 6050 as a measure to expand distributed energy options for individuals and renters by allowing portable ('balcony') solar devices up to 1,200 watts and enabling a single meter‑mounted device per customer to support backup power or EV charging.
Staff said the bill exempts qualified portable devices from Washington’s net‑metering requirements and prohibits landlords and homeowners associations from banning them. For meter‑mounted devices the bill requires NEC‑compliant installation by licensed contractors, a 90‑day utility decision window on device model approvals, and utility authority to recover service costs tied to installations.
Proponents argued the change lowers barriers to distributed generation and can help meet clean‑energy goals. Wesley Schrock (BrightSaver) and other supporters said safety standards referenced in the bill (UL 3700) and recent UL testing/certification activity will produce listed products that utilities and electricians can accept.
But regulators, utilities and trade/labor representatives voiced strong safety concerns. Maggie Douglas (PSC) said there are currently no U.S. safety standards that fully cover balcony solar technology and warned plug‑in devices could bypass interconnection processes that protect line workers. Tammy Phelan (Department of Labor & Industries) said wall outlets are designed as loads not inlets and enforcement is difficult for movable devices; Matthew Heffner (Certified Electrical Workers of Washington) said the NEC lacks a dedicated section for plug‑in generation and that backfeeding and multiple devices on shared circuits pose fire and shock risks.
Avista and other utilities urged streamlining rather than waiving interconnection requirements and asked for utility authority to deny specific device models when safety or system compatibility concerns exist. Supporters and some legislators noted UL 3700 testing programs and recent UL announcements but witnesses said that standards and NEC guidance still need to mature to ensure worker and public safety.
Staff reported sign‑in counts for SB 6050: 182 chose not to testify, 175 pro, 5 con and 2 other. The committee closed the public hearing with outstanding technical safety and code questions to be resolved through supplementary stakeholder engagement.
What happens next: Committee members and stakeholders signaled willingness to pursue NEC/UL standard development and to coordinate with L&I, utilities and industry before advancing policy changes.
