Nevada panel takes first steps toward solar 'grandfathering'

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Nevada panel took a first step Wednesday toward securing more favorable rates for the state's early-adopter rooftop customers — a concept that some lawmakers have said they support after outcry over a recent rate hike.

Debate over solar rates gained steam last spring, as Nevada approached a statutory cap on the number of rooftop solar panel users who could participate in net metering — the process of selling excess electricity back to NV Energy.

Rooftop solar companies, which sell or lease panels on the premise that customers will save enough on their energy bills to easily make payments on the panels, dispute that solar users are a net burden for the larger customer base.