State utility regulators have fined the state’s two largest electric distribution companies $10,000 each for not making significant progress in developing pricing and billing mechanisms necessary for the implementation of shared renewable energy programs. The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority levied the fines in a ruling issued late Friday. One of the areas in which PURA officials found Eversource’s and UI’s filings insufficent was in detailing how the utilities would work with community action agencies to recruit participants for shared solar as well as the type of relationships and coordination they would have with solar developers, according to Gaudiosi’s letter. The program at the center of PURA’s frustration with the utilities involves setting up shared renewable energy projects across the state that would produce up to 25 megawatts of electricity for a period of six years. Mike Trahan, executive director of the trade group Solar Connecticut, said PURA’s findings, combined with the fines, show state regulators are serious about making broad-based shared solar a reality sooner rather than later.
