LB 20 Legislature · 109th Legislature (2025-2026)

Require the provision of electric service to customers that own an agricultural self-generation facility

This bill requires Nebraska electric utilities to provide service to customers who own small on-farm renewable energy systems (≤100 kilowatts) used for agricultural purposes, such as solar or wind installations. It specifically applies to systems that don’t connect to the grid for net metering and must be located on the same property as the farm’s electric account. Utilities must serve these customers but can still require compliance with safety standards, interconnection rules, and standard rates. The bill ensures grid access for qualifying farm systems without altering utility rate structures or creating new financial incentives.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Jan 2025
Legislature Passage
Feb 2025
Legislature Passage
Jan 2025
Signed into Law
Feb 2025
Introduced Jan 9, 2025 Signed Feb 26, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Final Reading · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill was advanced to Final Reading with substantive changes to how local distribution utilities can recover costs from owner-generators. The text clarifies that utilities can now establish specific rates or fees to cover service costs for owner-generator customers, rather than just recovering general costs. Additionally, a new requirement was added mandating that owner-generators must notify their local distribution utility of their intent to install an agricultural self-generation facility.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly allow utilities to set specific rates or fees for owner-generator customers and introduced a new notification requirement for agricultural self-generation facilities.
REQUIREMENT

Changed the language regarding cost recovery for owner-generators from a general 'recovering costs' to specifically 'establishing rates or fees necessary to fully cover its costs'.

Added a new provision requiring owner-generators to notify their local distribution utility of their intent to install an agricultural self-generation facility.

Floor votes · Legislature Jan 29, 2025

How they voted

440
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 49
Jan 29, 2025
N Nonpartisan49
44 Yea 5
89% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
5
Committee
2
Feb 26, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor on February 25, 2025
executive
Feb 21, 2025
Legislature · Passed
President/Speaker signed
legislature
Feb 21, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Passed on Final Reading 48-0-1
legislature
Jan 29, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Cavanaugh, J. AM69 adopted
legislature
Jan 27, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Placed on General File
legislature
Jan 13, 2025
Committee
Referred to Natural Resources Committee
legislature
Jan 9, 2025
Introduced
Date of introduction
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of John Cavanaugh
John Cavanaugh
NNonpartisan
NE
9