Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has received $85,000 in restitution for customers of four Minnesota solar garden operators who were charged early termination fees his office says were illegal.
On Thursday, Ellison’s office announced settlements with FastSun Solar, LLC, Cypress Creek Renewables, LLC, Generate Capital, Inc. and Global Atlantic Financial Group Limited.
Community solar gardens are large solar power installations that produce electricity for the state’s energy grid. As part of its community solar garden program, Xcel Energy provides solar garden operators energy bill credits that they can then sell to customers.
These operators can charge customers early-termination fees if they cancel their contract without enough notice under Minnesota law. But the amount charged as an ETF cannot be “unreasonable,” according to Ellison’s office.
The four companies involved in the settlements all worked with CleanChoice Energy as a third-party administrator for its contracts.