Dive Brief:

• On Monday, Calif. Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 327 into law, giving the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) the power to devise a new formula for residential electricity rates.
• The bill gives the PUC authority to set renewable portfolio standards and implement monthly charges for rooftop solar owners.
• The bill also eliminates the cap on the state's net metering program and gives the PUC the power to design and implement new net metering designs.

Dive Insight:

The rest of the country is watching California. The state's policies have driven up the share of renewables in the system to unprecedented levels. The battle over this bill was controversial and heavily watched by both solar and utility advocates, who both think they came away with the win. That's because the bill ultimately put the power to make important grid decisions, such as net metering rate design, in hands of regulators.