Juneau – The Alaska Senate passed Senate Bill 152 unanimously Tuesday. Sponsored by Senator Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, this legislation aims to expand options for renewable energy development, reduce electric costs for Alaskan ratepayers, and mitigate natural gas shortages by establishing a virtual net metering program for small-scale renewable energy generation.

“This legislation marks a pivotal moment in Alaska’s energy landscape,” said Senator Bill Wielechowski. “By expanding access to renewable energy and incentivizing community participation, SB 152 will reduce electric costs for ratepayers, drive investment in new energy projects, create jobs across the state, and provide ratepayers with lower energy generation rates.”

Under this legislation, ratepayers will have increased opportunities to harness renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines to lower their electric bills. Under current net metering regulations, a solar array or wind generator must be tied to a single meter. This bill allows for virtual net metering, enabling multiple ratepayers to pool resources and benefit from a single renewable energy project. This will enable homeowners and tenants who lack access to individual renewable energy installations to enjoy cost savings and reliability benefits.

“We have worked closely with Railbelt utilities and other stakeholders to craft a version of the bill that works for utilities, ratepayers, and developers,” continued Sen. Wielechowski. “This collaborative effort ensures that SB 152 strikes the right balance between promoting renewable energy adoption and addressing the needs of all parties involved.”

SB 152 will be overseen by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA), which will review and approve utilities’ community energy programs. The RCA will have the authority to tailor the requirements of the bill to meet the specific needs of individual utilities.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives where it is scheduled to be heard in the Energy Committee on Thursday, April 25, at 10:15 a.m.

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