Missourians wanting to power their own homes are finding it difficult

[proud2BlibKansan]

That solar panel you were planning to install? The one that would let you power your own home and then sell the leftover electricity?

You might want to put a hold on that.

Two problems have popped up with a new Missouri law that was supposed to make it easy for homeowners to put in their own wind turbines or solar panels and send any excess power back to utilities:

•The Missouri Public Service Commission, which oversees utilities, is requiring homeowners to buy insurance before they can begin feeding electricity to the grid.

•It appears no insurance companies in Missouri sell that insurance.

more . . . http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/962821.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. that rule also known as the "gonad grab"

It is always and forever about power.
Not electric power, necessarily.
Power and control.
Can't have any folks "getting out of hand" and learning to be independent, can we?

[David Ricardo]

2. Regulatory Capture

Milton Friedman coined the phrase, I believe, where an industry unfairly benefited from regulatory agencies defending their interests. Electricity utilities seem to be the parties this time.

[Citizen Number 9]

3. It would appear to benefit

anyone wanting to sell special insurance, or maybe even folks wishing to drum up some nuisance claims.

With tens of thousands of installed systems and nary a claim so far, I don't think it has much to do with actual risk.

[99th_Monkey]

4. But the Public Service Commission is a "public body"

... and so has to have public meetings, and be accountable to said public. wouldn't that be
the case here?

not trying to be snarky, just wanting to understand.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Yes I believe you are correct

[Citizen Number 9]

7. Transparency laws only go so far.

Public bodies wanting to block the public from seeing into the workings are still able to do so. We will never be able to fully protect against individuals who want to use their position for additional gain.

It doesn't always have to be about personal financial gain. It could even be about ego or political power. A legislator who feels negative towards solar could work hard to make it as difficult as possible to implement and the people in whose best interest he/she is supposed to be working would likely never know.

[depakid]

6. Sometimes you just have to laugh...