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S 1596 109th Congress Senate Energy Cogeneration of electric power and heat Congress Congressional reporting requirements Electric power Electric utilities Electric utility rates Environmental Protection Fuel cells Geothermal resources Hydroelectric power Landfills Methane Refuse as fuel Solar energy Wind power

A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require electric utilities to provide net metering service.

Introduced: July 29, 2005 Introduced by: Cantwell, Maria Democratic · Washington See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 29, 2005
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Jul 29, 2005
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require each electric utility to make net metering service available upon consumer request.

Permits a state regulatory authority, one year after enactment of this Act, to determine whether it is in the public interest to decline to implement such requirement.

Permits a state to establish incentives to encourage on-site generating facilities and net metering in addition to the requirements of this Act.

Requires an electric utility to charge the owner or operator of an on-site generating facility rates that are identical to those charged to its other electric consumers in the same rate class.

Bars such utility from charging the owner or operator of an on-site generating facility any additional standby, capacity, interconnection, or other charges.

Prescribes guidelines for: (1) electric energy sales to the owner or operator of an on-site generating facility; and (2) measurements of electric energy consumed.

Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to promulgate additional control, testing, and interconnection requirements for on-site generating facilities and net metering systems deemed necessary to protect public safety and system reliability.

What's happening now July 29, 2005

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1596: A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require electric utilities to provide net metering service.. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1596/
MLA
"S. 1596: A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require electric utilities to provide net metering service.." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1596/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1596, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1596/.
Markdown link
[S. 1596: A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require electric utilities to provide net metering service.](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1596/)
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