Residents urge Bryan Council to grandfather solar customers after BTU compensation change

Residents filled the citizens’ comment period to press the Bryan City Council on BTU’s recent changes to solar compensation, asking that existing customers be grandfathered or given transition measures. Patrick Bergen, who said he is one of about 814 BTU customers covered by the change, told the council that his signed interconnection agreement specifies a compensation method and limits amendments to those signed by both parties. He said he was given until Aug. 21 to sign a new agreement or face suspension of interconnection and asked the council to hold existing customers to the original contracts: “A signed contract with a defined compensation method altered without the signature the contract itself requires,” Bergen said, “and a disconnection deadline attached to force the new terms.”

Other speakers described large personal investments and a sense of betrayal after relying on BTU materials that encouraged solar. Richard Crooks said he spent $59,000 and that a BTU representative told him his annual bill could triple under the new method; John Delaney said his 47‑panel system cost about $35,000. Solar installer Adam Burke asked why exported solar would become effectively worthless under the new policy when BTU simultaneously promotes energy‑efficiency and peak‑shaving measures. Multiple speakers suggested phased approaches — grandfathering, transition periods or preserving original treatment for the original customer at the service address — instead of immediate retroactive changes.

No BTU official testified during the public comments recorded in the transcript, and the council did not finalize a compensation policy at the meeting. Several council members acknowledged the testimony and later voted to direct BTU staff to return with a revised model that takes public input into account.