Solar Advocates Warn: BC Hydro's New Rate Plan Could End Access to BC's Net Metering Progr

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Rezul -- Solar Advocates Warn: BC Hydro's New Rate Plan Could End Access to BC's Much-Loved Net Metering Program

VANCOUVER, BC — November 14, 2025 — A public hearing this month could decide the future of small-scale solar power in British Columbia — and end access to BC's much-loved Net Metering program unless the public speaks up.

From November 17 to 21, the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) will hold a public hearing <www.youtube.com/@bcuc> on BC Hydro's proposed Net Metering Rate Design, which determines how homeowners, schools, and communities are credited for the clean electricity they produce.

The Community Solar Coalition (CSC) — a grassroots alliance of local energy groups and community advocates — will appear to make the public's case for fairness, transparency, and participation in BC's energy future.

"This isn't just about rates or spreadsheets," said Kjell Liem, CSC spokesperson. "It's about whether British Columbians can continue to produce clean power for their communities — and be treated fairly for the value it provides."

Public Interest on the Line

BC Hydro's proposal would lower the credit customers receive for energy sent back to the grid and add restrictions that could make community-shared solar projects nearly impossible. System-size limits from some programs prevent customer-generated electricity from reaching the grid at all— throttling clean generation at a time the province is calling for more.

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CSC argues that these changes would:

• Undercut local investment in clean energy;
• Ignore the greenhouse-gas reductions solar provides;
• Eliminate the resilience benefits of distributed generation; and
• Concentrate control of BC's energy system instead of sharing it with communities.

"The same solar panels that help BC Hydro power its own projects are being discounted when they're owned by citizens," said Liem. "That double standard isn't fair — and it runs counter to the province's CleanBC goals of reducing emissions and expanding clean energy."

The Community Solar Coalition (CSC) is a grassroots alliance that grew out of the 2016 Community Solar Summit on Salt Spring Island, where groups from across BC united to promote community participation in the clean-energy transition. CSC now represents public-interest voices in major climate and energy hearings, working to advance community-owned solar, energy democracy, and transparent regulation across British Columbia.

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Media Contact:

Kjell Liem, CCEM
Community Solar Coalition
250 538-7855
kjellliem@gmail.com