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SB 2200

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Appollonio and 6 co-sponsors

RI SB 2200 strengthens RES transparency, sanctions, and prudent cost recovery, while enabling pilot demonstrations and annual reporting to advance renewables.

04/28/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 2200

Summary of Bill: SB 2200 (Rhode Island, 2026) – Renewable Energy Standard

Basic overview

  • Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
  • Bill number: SB 2200
  • Session: 2026
  • Introduced: January 23, 2026
  • Sponsor: Paolino, with several co-sponsors
  • Committee Assignment: Senate Commerce
  • Effective date: Upon passage

Purpose and intent

SB 2200 amends Rhode Island’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) program administered by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The core aims include:
- Enhancing transparency by requiring public notification of changes in a renewable generator’s eligibility or energy production.
- Clarifying regulatory authority and procedures for implementing and adjusting the RES, including compliance timelines, sanctions, and the use of alternative compliance payments (ACPs).
- Allowing pilot programs for renewable generation and related smart-grid technologies to advance demonstration projects, with potential rate recovery for prudently incurred costs.

Key provisions and changes

Section 39-26-6 — Duties of the Commission

  1. Regulatory framework (existing obligations retained; details updated):

    • Develop and adopt regulations for implementing the RES, with focus areas:
      • Verifying renewable energy generator eligibility and energy production.
      • Requiring notification to the commission of eligibility status changes or when a generator ceases production; public disclosure of such changes.
      • Establishing contract standards, procurement plans, and regional disclosure/green marketing compatibility.
      • Implementing flexibility mechanisms to ease compliance, bring new resources online, and manage cross-state disclosure requirements.
      • Allowing compliance banking: entities may demonstrate compliance in a given year and bank excess compliance for up to two subsequent years, capped at 30% of the current year’s obligation.
      • Annual compliance filings due within one month after NE-GIS (North East Greenhouse Gas Information System) reports for the fourth quarter are available; electric distribution companies must cooperate with data requests.

  2. Rate recovery (electric distribution companies):

    • Authorized to recover all prudent incremental costs associated with RES implementation, including:
      • Purchase of NE-GIS certificates
      • Alternative Compliance Payments (ACPs)
      • Payments to support NE-GIS
      • Assessments under § 39-26-7(c)
      • Incremental costs of complying with energy source disclosure requirements

  3. Eligibility certification (PUC):

    • Issue statements of qualification for eligible renewable energy resources within 90 days of application.
    • Provide prospective reviews to determine eligibility of facilities.

  4. **** (Original subsection removed by later amendments)

  5. Sanctions for non-compliance:

    • Establish sanctions for obligated entities that fail to reasonably comply after investigation.
    • No sanction shall relieve an entity from meeting its obligations; payments via ACPs can still satisfy obligations.
    • The commission may suspend or revoke generation unit certifications for false information, or failure to notify changes in eligibility or comply with rules.
    • Financial penalties resulting from sanctions are not recoverable in rates.

  6. Annual reporting (to governor and leadership):

    • By February 15, and each year thereafter, report on RES implementation status and, from 2009 onward, track:
      • The level of use of renewable energy certificates
      • The portion of RES met through ACPs
      • The amount of rate increases authorized under subsection (a)(2)

  7. Adequacy review of renewable supplies:

    • On or before January 1, 2027, and every five years thereafter, assess whether renewable supplies are adequate to meet planned percentage increases.
    • If inadequacy is found, delay all or part of the scheduled increase until adequate supplies exist.

Section 1(b) – Pilot programs and demonstrations

  • The electric distribution company may propose and implement pilots up to 15 MW of renewable-generation demonstration projects in Rhode Island, subject to PUC review and approval.
  • At least two demonstration projects must be near nonprofit, affordable-housing projects to provide energy savings to reduce electric bills.
  • The PUC shall annually adjust the minimum RES requirements by the amount of kilowatt-hours generated by these owned units.
  • The company may also propose and implement smart-metering and smart-grid demonstration projects, with costs potentially recovered in distribution rates for electricity and gas usage, respectively, subject to PUC approval.

Section 2 – Effective date

  • The act takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

  • Regulated entities: Electric distribution companies (and their ratepayers) subject to the Rhode Island RES.
  • Public utilities commission: Responsible for regulations, certifications, enforcement, reporting, and oversight of RES.
  • Renewable energy developers/generators: Must comply with eligibility verification, reporting, and potential sanctions for noncompliance.
  • Ratepayers/consumers: Potential impact via rate recovery of incremental RES costs and demonstration projects.
  • Nonprofit/affordable-housing sector: Beneficiaries of pilots and demonstration projects aimed at reducing energy bills.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Regulations implementing the RES must be adopted by December 31, 2005 (note: this appears to be legacy language retained from prior law; the bill’s effective date is upon passage in 2026, with ongoing reporting every February 15).
  • Annual and multi-year reviews of adequacy occur: annual reporting to leadership; five-year adequacy determinations starting January 1, 2027, and every five years thereafter.
  • Pilot projects and smart-grid demonstrations can be pursued if approved by the PUC, with alignment to RES targets and rate recovery rules.

Summary assessment

SB 2200 refines Rhode Island’s Renewable Energy Standard by strengthening transparency around generator eligibility, codifying sanctions and enforcement, enabling cost recovery for prudent RES-related expenditures, and introducing controlled pilot projects to accelerate renewable adoption and grid modernization. It emphasizes annual reporting, periodic adequacy reviews, and public disclosure of eligibility changes, while enabling targeted demonstration projects near affordable housing to foster energy savings.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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