Corporation Commission; creating the Plug-In Solar Power Amendments Act; defining terms; effective date.
Summary
HB4060 creates the “Plug-In Solar Power Amendments Act” and establishes a new legal category for small, plug-in solar photovoltaic devices used by residential electric customers. The bill defines a qualifying portable solar generation device as a solar unit with no more than 1,200 watts of alternating-current output, designed to plug into a standard 120-volt outlet, equipped with anti-islanding or equivalent safety protection, and intended to offset electricity used on the customer’s premises.
For devices that meet those criteria, the bill says they are not treated as interconnections under Oklahoma law or Oklahoma Corporation Commission rules, and they are excluded from net metering statutes, tariffs, programs, and related utility approval processes. It also bars electric utilities from requiring prior permission, fees, extra metering or equipment, interconnection or service agreements, or insurance/indemnity from residential customers using qualifying devices. The bill preserves state and local electrical safety enforcement and allows the Corporation Commission to adopt only limited rules necessary to enforce the act and safety standards, while prohibiting rules that would add registration, fees, wattage reductions, or interconnection/net metering requirements.
Impact
HB4060 would amend Title 17 of the Oklahoma Statutes by adding new sections governing portable plug-in solar devices and limiting the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s and electric utilities’ authority over them. It would effectively create a streamlined pathway for residential customers to use small plug-in solar systems without utility interconnection review, while leaving traditional rooftop or larger distributed generation interconnection rules unchanged. The bill also limits utility liability for damage or injury caused by the device and places responsibility for installation, maintenance, and safety compliance on the customer.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received and moved with strong support. It passed the House Utilities Committee unanimously, passed the House Energy and Natural Resources Oversight Committee unanimously, and cleared House third reading by a wide margin. The bill was also coauthored by Representative Dollens, indicating additional legislative support beyond the original authors.
Contention
The main policy tension in HB4060 is between consumer access to small-scale solar and utility/regulatory oversight. Supporters appear to favor reducing barriers for residential customers who want to use plug-in solar devices, while the bill’s restrictions on utility permission, fees, inspections, and interconnection requirements limit the role of utilities and the Corporation Commission. Potential concerns center on safety, liability, and whether exempting these devices from standard interconnection and net metering processes could create regulatory gaps, though the bill addresses this by requiring nationally recognized electrical safety standards and preserving general electrical code enforcement.
Crimes and punishments; modifying offenses in certain classes of felonies; creating felony offenses for second or subsequent offenses; adding offenses for which registration pursuant to the Sex Offenders Registration Act applies. Effective date.
Crimes and punishments; creating felony offense related to false impersonation of peace officers; broadening scope of allowable seizure. Effective date.