El Paso resident Jon Muir installed rooftop solar on his home in 2022. He was shocked to see his electric bill this month come in nearly four times higher than he expected at $117. A new fee on his bill made the difference.
“For years, I’ve been used to seeing $30 electric bills during the winter and spring because my solar panels offset most of my energy use,” Muir said. “What makes this even more frustrating is that I already invested in rooftop solar and changed my lifestyle around energy efficiency. I’m producing clean energy and charging my electric vehicle overnight during off-peak hours, but I’m being punished for reducing what I need from the grid.”
On Sept. 1, HB 912 takes effect as Texas law and it explicitly requires that El Paso Electric conduct a “comprehensive cost-benefit analysis” of rooftop solar energy before the utility changes the fees or the compensation rate for its rooftop solar customers…