The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada unanimously approved a draft order that will make rooftop solar more expensive for Nevadans, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
“The draft order issued by the Nevada PUC unfairly imposes a mandatory demand charge on all residential customers in southern Nevada and rewrites the rules for new solar customers in northern Nevada,” said Wil Gehl, InterMountain West senior manager for SEIA. “The draft order also contradicts the legislature’s intent when it restored net metering in Nevada. This is a significant step backward that makes solar less accessible for Nevada families, and we urge the Commissioners to change course.”
The PUC says the new “daily demand charge” for residential and small business customers would lower bills for most customers of NV Energy.
The demand charge would be included as a separate component in monthly bills and would be based on the maximum amount a ratepayer uses the electric system each day. The PUC says it would create an opportunity for residential and small business customers to lower their bills by spreading out their energy usage and avoiding simultaneous operation of numerous appliances.
The proposed demand charge would go into effect in April 2026.
“With the federal government abruptly ending its support of residential solar, Nevadans now face an even bigger hurdle to accessing one of the few ways to reduce their electricity bills. The draft decision discourages private investment in reliable, affordable, clean energy at a time when the grid needs every electron it can get to power Nevada’s economy,” Gehl said.
According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q3 2025 report by SEIA and Wood Mackenzie, over 144,000 Nevada homes have solar, and Nevada has the third-most residential solar capacity per capita of any state.
News item from SEIA. Updated at 2:09 p.m. ET.