The Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority has approved Berlin-based electric utility Connecticut Light & Power’s plan to provide $6 million annually in renewable energy credits to 76 solar and fuel cell projects.
PURA’s approval of CL&P’s zero- and low-emissions renewable energy credit program comes after the regulators also approved New Haven-based electric utility United Illuminating’s plan to provide $2 million annually in credits to 21 solar and fuel cell projects.
The renewable program is broken into two segments: credits for zero-emissions technologies, or ZRECs, and those for low-emissions technologies, or LRECs.
CL&P used up nearly all its available funds this year for the ZRECs, but the utility still had $1.3 million left worth of LRECs. The state regulators told CL&P to go back to those LREC project proposals that weren’t selected initially and see if they would sign on for the remaining funds.
Each of the selected projects in the program will receive the credits for 15 years. CL&P and UI are required by law to selected new projects every year for five years.
