Stop Newson’s Proposed Solar Net Metering Changes. California’s Energy Crisis Isn’t Solar Owners’ Fault!
California Proposed Solar Net Metering Changes:
California’s solar consumers are under attack — and it’s not because of rising energy costs, but because of misplaced blame. Governor Newsom and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) are pointing fingers at solar owners for skyrocketing electricity prices, ignoring the real culprits: out-of-control utility spending and profit-driven policies.
In an executive order (N-5-24) issued last year, Governor Newsom directed the CPUC to find ways to reduce electricity costs statewide. Instead of holding utilities accountable, the CPUC’s response on February 18th suggests drastic measures that unfairly target solar customers, including:
1. Shortening the grandfathering period for NEM 1 and NEM 2 customers. These agreements were made in good faith, ensuring stable terms for early solar adopters. Changing the rules now pulls the rug out from under consumers who invested in alternative energy.
2. Tying export rates to rates at PTO (Permission to Operate). This could drastically reduce compensation for excess energy sent back to the grid.
3. Reviving the “solar tax” (labeled as a “Grid Benefits Charge”). Previously voted down two years ago, this fee would penalize homeowners for producing their own power.
4. Ending the legacy period when a home changes ownership. This means solar benefits wouldn’t transfer with the sale of a house, discouraging solar adoption and reducing home value.
The harsh reality? Utility companies are driving up prices, not solar owners. Reports from CALSSA reveal that rising rates are fueled by uncontrolled spending and a lack of oversight, not by homeowners trying to lower their bills and help the planet. For years, utilities have funneled funds into executive bonuses and expensive infrastructure projects, passing those costs onto consumers.
Punishing solar owners for the utility companies’ mismanagement is unjust and dangerous. It erodes trust in government and utilities while slowing California’s progress toward alternative energy. Worse, it discourages future solar adoption by making the financial benefits far less predictable.
The proposed changes undermine the very principles that convinced thousands of Californians to go solar: energy independence, cost savings, and environmental stewardship. These homeowners made smart investments, often with decades-long payback periods in mind, under the assumption that the rules would remain stable. Moving the goalposts now isn’t just unfair — it’s a betrayal.
Instead of punishing solar adopters, California should be focusing on utility accountability and smart policy decisions that promote alternative energy. The state has long been a leader in the renewable energy movement. Let’s not allow short-sighted decisions and corporate influence to reverse that progress.
If these measures move forward, the consequences will ripple far beyond solar owners. Energy costs will continue to climb, trust in government and utilities will plummet, and California’s renewable energy goals will be set back by decades.
THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!
Join Sungenia and contact your representatives by signing the Solar Rights Alliance petition to stop lawmakers from breaking the solar contract. Let lawmakers know that shifting blame onto solar owners is not the solution — accountability and real oversight of utility spending is.
California can do better. Let’s stand up for fair energy policies and keep the future bright for solar. ☀️
Sungenia’s mission is to make the solar process as simple and honest as possible, provide the best solution, and to make as many happy friends as we can.