Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Public Service Commission will hear public comments Tuesday on a plan to mandate that utilities pay solar panel owners for power they generate.

The rule would require that utilities take power from customers who have solar panels or other generating methods, and credit bills for power fed into the grid. In dispute are how much utilities would pay and what share of Mississippi utility customers would be allowed to install solar panels. Utilities argue they should pay less than what they charge customers, keeping money to cover costs of power lines and backup power stations.

Solar advocates argue against such restrictions, noting a study for the commission dismissed concerns that solar users displace costs onto others.

Electric cooperatives argue the commission can't force them to adopt net metering.