Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 340 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Ward, Raymond P.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/25/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• creates exemptions from interconnection requirements for portable solar generation devices;
• establishes basic safety requirements for portable solar generation devices; and
• provides liability protections for electrical corporations.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

5
54-15-102
54-15-601
0
Solar Power Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Raymond P. Ward
Senate Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill modifies provisions related to residential solar energy generation by creating a 
new category for small portable solar generation devices.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
defines terms;
creates exemptions from interconnection requirements for portable solar generation 
devices;
establishes basic safety requirements for portable solar generation devices; and
provides liability protections for electrical corporations.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
54-15-102
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 53
ENACTS:
54-15-601
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
54-15-102
 is amended to read:
54-15-102
. Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1)
"Annualized billing period" means:
(a)
a 12-month billing cycle beginning on April 1 of one year and ending on March 31 
of the following year; or
(b)
an additional 12-month billing cycle as defined by an electrical corporation's net 
metering tariff or rate schedule.
(2)
"Customer-generated electricity" means electricity that:
(a)
is generated by a customer generation system for a customer participating in a net 
metering program;
(b)
exceeds the electricity the customer needs for the customer's own use; and
(c)
is supplied to the electrical corporation administering the net metering program.
(3)
"Customer generation system":
(a)
means an eligible facility that is used to supply energy to or for a specific customer 
that:
(i)
has a generating capacity of:
(A)
more than 1,200 watts but 
not more than 25 kilowatts for a residential facility; 
or
(B)
not more than two megawatts for a non-residential facility, unless the 
governing authority approves a greater generation capacity;
(ii)
is located on, or adjacent to, the premises of the electrical corporation's customer, 
subject to the electrical corporation's service requirements;
(iii)
operates in parallel and is interconnected with the electrical corporation's 
distribution facilities;
(iv)
is intended primarily to offset part or all of the customer's requirements for 
electricity; and
(v)
is controlled by an inverter;
 and
(b)
includes an electric generator and its accompanying equipment package
.
; and
(c)
does not include a portable solar generation device.
(4)
"Eligible facility" means a facility that uses energy derived from one of the following to 
generate electricity:
(a)
solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy;
(b)
wind energy;
(c)
hydrogen;
(d)
organic waste;
(e)
hydroelectric energy;
(f)
waste gas and waste heat capture or recovery;
(g)
biomass and biomass byproducts, except for the combustion of:
(i)
wood that has been treated with chemical preservatives such as creosote, 
pentachlorophenol, or chromated copper arsenate; or
(ii)
municipal waste in a solid form;
(h)
forest or rangeland woody debris from harvesting or thinning conducted to improve 
forest or rangeland ecological health and to reduce wildfire risk;
(i)
agricultural residues;
(j)
dedicated energy crops;
(k)
landfill gas or biogas produced from organic matter, wastewater, anaerobic digesters, 
or municipal solid waste; or
(l)
geothermal energy.
(5)
"Equipment package" means a group of components connecting an electric generator to 
an electric distribution system, including all interface equipment and the interface 
equipment's controls, switchgear, inverter, and other interface devices.
(6)
"Excess customer-generated electricity" means the amount of customer-generated 
electricity in excess of the customer's consumption from the customer generation system 
during a monthly billing period, as measured at the electrical corporation's meter.
(7)
"Fuel cell" means a device in which the energy of a reaction between a fuel and an 
oxidant is converted directly and continuously into electrical energy.
(8)
"Governing authority" means:
(a)
for a distribution electrical cooperative, its board of directors; and
(b)
for each other electrical corporation, the Public Service Commission.
(9)
"Inverter" means a device that:
(a)
converts direct current power into alternating current power that is compatible with 
power generated by an electrical corporation; and
(b)
has been designed, tested, and certified to UL1741 and installed and operated in 
accordance with the latest revision of IEEE1547, as amended.
(10)
"Net electricity" means the difference, as measured at the meter owned by the 
electrical corporation between:
(a)
the amount of electricity that an electrical corporation supplies to a customer 
participating in a net metering program; and
(b)
the amount of customer-generated electricity delivered to the electrical corporation.
(11)
"Net metering" means measuring the amount of net electricity for the applicable billing 
period.
(12)
"Net metering program" means a program administered by an electrical corporation 
whereby a customer with a customer generation system may:
(a)
generate electricity primarily for the customer's own use;
(b)
supply customer-generated electricity to the electrical corporation; and
(c)
if net metering results in excess customer-generated electricity during a billing 
period, receive a credit as provided in Section 
54-15-104
.
(13)
"Portable solar generation device" means a moveable photovoltaic generation device 
that:
(a)
has a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts;
(b)
is designed to be connected to a building's electrical system through a standard 
120-volt alternating current outlet;
(c)
is intended primarily to offset part of the customer's electricity consumption;
(d)
meets the standards of the most recent version of the National Electrical Code; and
(e)
is certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized 
testing laboratory.
(13)
(14)
"Switchgear" means the combination of electrical disconnects, fuses, or circuit 
breakers:
(a)
used to:
(i)
isolate electrical equipment; and
(ii)
de-energize equipment to allow work to be performed or faults downstream to be 
cleared; and
(b)
that is:
(i)
designed, tested, and certified to UL1741; and
(ii)
installed and operated in accordance with the latest revision of IEEE1547, as 
amended.
Section 2, Section 
54-15-601
 is enacted to read:
6. Portable Solar Generation Device
54-15-601
. Portable solar generation device -- Exemptions -- Requirements.
(1)
A portable solar generation device that meets the requirements of this part:
(a)
is exempt from:
(i)
the interconnection requirements described in Section 
54-15-106
; and
(ii)
requirements to enter into an interconnection agreement under Section 
54-15-103
; 
and
(b)
is not subject to the net metering program requirements under this chapter.
(2)
A portable solar generation device shall include a device or feature that prevents the 
system from energizing the building's electrical system during a power outage.
(3)
An electrical corporation:
(a)
may not require a customer using a portable solar generation device to:
(i)
obtain the electrical corporation's approval before installing or using the system;
(ii)
pay any fee or charge related to the system; or
(iii)
install any additional controls or equipment beyond what is integrated into the 
system; and
(b)
is not liable for any damage or injury caused by a portable solar generation device.
Section 3. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
3-7-25 10:15 PM