HB 1971 — An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in restructuring of electric utility industry, further providing for definitions and providing for portable solar generation systems.

PRINTER'S NO.    2530

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 1971
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY PIELLI, FIEDLER, GIRAL, FRIEL, SHUSTERMAN, OTTEN,
        GUZMAN, WAXMAN, HOWARD, HILL-EVANS, DONAHUE, D. WILLIAMS,
        BOROWSKI, RIVERA, VITALI, KAZEEM, NEILSON, STEELE, SANCHEZ,
        CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, GREEN, SCOTT, BOYD, GILLEN, TAKAC AND
        HOHENSTEIN, OCTOBER 27, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, OCTOBER 28, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in restructuring of electric utility
 3      industry, further providing for definitions and providing for
 4      portable solar generation systems.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.     Section 2803 of Title 66 of the Pennsylvania
 8   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
 9   § 2803.    Definitions.
10      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
11   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12   context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      * * *
14      "Portable solar generation system" or "system."       A solar
15   photovoltaic energy system or hybrid solar photovoltaic energy
16   system integrated with battery storage that is:
17             (1)   Limited to supplying a maximum power output of not
 1      more than 1,200 watts back to the electric utility grid.
 2             (2)   Designed to connect directly to the electrical
 3      system of a building or facility through a standard
 4      electrical outlet.
 5             (3)   Intended primarily to offset part of the customer's
 6      electricity consumption.
 7             (4)   Certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an
 8      equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory.
 9      * * *
10      Section 2.     Title 66 is amended by adding a section to read:
11   § 2816.    Portable solar generation systems.
12      (a)    Exemption from interconnection.--A customer operating a
13   portable solar generation system under this section shall not be
14   subject to:
15             (1)   Requirements to submit an interconnection
16      application or enter into an interconnection agreement with
17      an electric distribution company.
18             (2)   Inspection or technical interconnection review by
19      the electric distribution company.
20             (3)   Any interconnection or administrative fees related
21      to the operation of the system.
22      (b)    Limitations.--A portable solar generation system:
23             (1)   May not be eligible to participate in net metering
24      programs established under this title.
25             (2)   Shall not be credited or compensated by the electric
26      distribution company for any energy exported to the grid.
27             (3)   May only be used to offset on-site electricity
28      consumption by the customer.
29      (c)    Duties of electric distribution companies.--For a
30   customer operating a portable solar generation system, an

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 1   electric distribution company may not impose any:
 2             (1)   Requirements for prior approval, inspection,
 3      registration or notification from a customer.
 4             (2)   Requirements for the installation of additional
 5      controls or equipment beyond what is integrated into the
 6      system.
 7             (3)   Additional fees or service charges related to the
 8      system or supplying electricity back to the electric utility
 9      grid.
10      (d)    Limitations on liability.--An electric distribution
11   company may not be found liable for any damage or injury
12   resulting from the operation of a portable solar generation
13   system.
14      (e)    Safety compliance.--A customer must ensure that the
15   system is installed and operated in accordance with manufacturer
16   instructions and applicable local building and fire safety
17   codes.
18      (f)    Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
19   construed to:
20             (1)   Authorize the interconnection of noncompliant or
21      noncertified systems.
22             (2)   Alter net metering rights for a customer-generator
23      provided under section 5 of the act of November 30, 2004
24      (P.L.1672, No.213), known as the Alternative Energy Portfolio
25      Standards Act.
26             (3)   Exempt systems from any applicable safety laws and
27      regulations in this Commonwealth.
28             (4)   Prevent a local agency from enforcing general
29      electrical safety provisions, provided that the enforcement
30      does not require interconnection applications or electric

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1     utility approval.
2     Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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