Senate Bill 957 would create a new legal category for “portable-scale solar energy generation devices,” defined as small solar photovoltaic systems and associated equipment, including battery storage, that are designed to supply no more than 1.92 kilowatts to the electric grid. The bill authorizes customers of electric power suppliers to operate these devices if they are primarily used to offset the customer’s own electricity use, are certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent testing lab when above 391 watts, and include a mechanism that prevents backfeeding the grid during a power outage.
The bill also limits what electric power suppliers may require from customers using these devices. Utilities could not require an interconnection agreement, prior approval, extra fees, or additional controls beyond the bill’s safety requirements as a condition of service. At the same time, the bill states that utilities are not liable for damage or injury caused by the devices and allows them to offer special rate tariffs for such customers. The bill further exempts portable-scale solar devices from certain reporting and certification requirements that apply to other generating facilities, and it excludes these devices from eligibility for existing net metering tariffs unless the customer also owns or leases another renewable energy facility.
In addition to the solar provisions, the bill expands the public awareness program run by the State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors. It directs the Board to provide workforce training and education on National Electrical Code requirements and appropriates $100,000 in recurring General Fund money beginning in fiscal year 2026-2027 to support that expanded program.
The bill’s impact on state law would be to add a new statutory framework in Chapter 62 governing small portable solar systems, while also amending existing utility regulation and net metering provisions to carve out these devices from some of the rules that apply to larger or traditional customer-sited generation. It would also amend Chapter 87 to broaden the electrical contractors board’s public education role and provide a recurring state appropriation for that purpose.
The available context shows no recorded votes or committee debate, so there is no documented partisan or stakeholder sentiment in the materials provided. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears designed to encourage consumer use of small solar devices while balancing utility safety and liability concerns, but it also contains restrictions that may be viewed as limiting full net metering participation for these systems.
Impact
The bill would amend G.S. 62-126.3, G.S. 62-110.1, and G.S. 62-126.4 in Chapter 62 to create a new category of portable-scale solar energy generation devices, exempt those devices from certain interconnection, reporting, and certification requirements, and exclude them from existing net metering eligibility unless paired with another renewable energy facility. It would also amend G.S. 87-50.1 in Chapter 87 to expand the public awareness and training duties of the State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors and appropriate recurring General Fund support for that program.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or vote history were provided, so there is no direct record of support or opposition in the available materials. The bill’s structure suggests a generally pro-solar and pro-consumer intent, paired with utility safety protections and limits on utility obligations, which may appeal to both clean-energy advocates and regulators focused on grid safety.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the bill’s limits on utility oversight and customer requirements versus its safety and liability provisions. Solar advocates may favor the ability to use small portable systems without interconnection agreements, fees, or extra equipment, while utilities may be concerned about reduced control, liability exposure, and grid-management issues. Another likely point of debate is the bill’s exclusion of portable-scale devices from net metering tariffs, which could be seen as limiting the financial value of these systems for customers.