An act relating to the Standard Offer Program

Vermont's S.57 reauthorizes the Standard Offer Program to fund new small-scale renewable energy projects (up to 2.2 MW capacity) in the state. The bill sets a cumulative capacity cap of 227.5 MW, with annual increases (starting at 5 MW) distributed between utility providers (10-20% of annual capacity) and independent developers. It allows certain projects - like those using agricultural methane or offering grid benefits - to bypass the cap and requires utilities to share transmission constraint data with developers. Contracts for eligible projects will last 10-25 years, with pricing determined by the Public Service Commission to ensure cost-effective development.