California must strengthen — not weaken — our state’s program to bring rooftop solar and storage to California’s 16 million renters. Working-class and frontline communities have suffered too long from air pollution, climate disasters, skyrocketing utility bills, and blackouts.
Right now, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is considering proposals from corporate utilities that would gut the state’s Virtual Net Energy Metering (V-NEM) program serving multifamily renters, small businesses, and public agencies. These proposals would force renters to buy all of their power from corporate utilities, even when it is generated by solar panels on their own rooftop. The proposals are bad for renters and the climate.
Update: On November 16, 2023, the California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to approve the above proposals. Multi-family dwellings are exempted and will be allowed to aggregate meters and transfer bill credits. All existing V-NEM customers are not affected in any way. The new rules will take effect on January 1, 2024.