Sacramento Report
June 19, 2012
Solar Energy Generation Bill Fails to Pass out of the Senate
A bill that would have allowed property owners to finance the installation of solar energy generating systems paid through the utility bill has stalled in the Senate. Under SB 998 (De León), utilities would implement on-bill repayment (OBR) programs for energy efficiency under which a customer pays down a loan from a third-party lender on their utility bill. The loan obligation would run with the meter, meaning that any subsequent owner or occupant of a property is required to assume the repayment obligation.
Senate Bill 998 was opposed by the CLTA on the grounds that it created an off-record lien and would have harmed future homebuyers.
