Energy (Solar)

HB 174 requires Wyoming's public utilities to offer customers a "choice electric program" that lets them select electricity from different energy sources (like wind, solar, or fossil fuels) and set their preferred mix. Utilities must provide transparent pricing showing actual costs - without subsidies or grants - for each source type, including delivery and administrative fees. Customers can choose specific percentages for each resource type, and utilities must disclose how they handle unreliable energy sources to meet demand. The Public Service Commission must create these rules by January 1, 2027, and cannot keep pricing information confidential. This directly affects residential and commercial electricity customers and all electric utilities operating in Wyoming.

HB 146, the "Affordable Electricity Act of 2026," exempts small residential solar devices (called "plug-in solar generation devices" or PIPVs) from most utility regulations. It directly affects homeowners who install compliant PIPVs - devices under 1,200 watts per meter, designed for standard 120V outlets, and meeting safety standards - to offset their personal electricity use. Key provisions include banning utility fees for these devices, eliminating requirements for interconnection agreements or net metering approvals, and mandating safety features to prevent backfeeding during outages. The bill also shields utilities from liability for customer-installed PIPVs, making it easier for residents to adopt small-scale solar without utility hurdles.

HB 46 expands Wyoming's existing tax on electricity production from wind resources to also include electricity generated from solar and nuclear facilities. It repeals the separate tax on nuclear electricity and updates the tax rules to cover all three energy sources under a single framework. The tax applies to electricity produced from solar or nuclear resources starting January 1, 2027, and requires producers to report megawatt-hour output annually. This bill directly affects electricity producers using solar or nuclear power in Wyoming, changing how they report and pay taxes on their output.