Nevada residents with rooftop solar panels are suing NV Energy, saying the company used incentives to lure them into investing tens of thousands of dollars before conspiring with regulators to raise rates and render their systems less valuable.
Las Vegas solar panel owners John Bamforth and Stanley Schone filed a complaint in Clark County on Jan. 12, alleging the company manipulated regulators into approving higher prices that took effect Jan. 1. They're seeking class-action status to represent other solar panel owners.
The suit argues NV Energy "acted illegally to reduce said incentives, rebates, and/or credits," and said the plaintiffs "would never had agreed to invest in, purchase, and install a solar photovoltaic system had (they) known the defendants would act in an anticompetitive manner to restrain trade."
An NV Energy spokeswoman said the company does not comment on litigation.
The plaintiffs allege the structure, which will raise base rates over five years and reduce the amount the utility pays to buy energy back from panels, will make it much harder to pay back their solar panel investments and is part of a conspiracy to cripple the solar market. Both said they put around $40,000 into their solar systems.
