(AP) -- SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The House has approved legislation that would help settle a dispute between public utilities and the renewable energy industry over third-party power purchase agreements.
The measure would establish in statute what New Mexico regulators have already decided, that developers are not considered public utilities if they install, own and operate renewable energy generation equipment - such as solar panels - on a customer's property and sell the power to the customer.
The bill's sponsor, Democratic Rep. Jose Campos of Santa Rosa, says the legislation also applies to homeowners who own their own renewable energy systems.
Supporters of the measure say it could increase investment in distributed generation systems and help utilities meet New Mexico's standard for having a percentage of electricity come from renewable sources.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
