More backlash tied to the Public Utilities Commission's decision on solar panels that essentially makes them less cost-effective for customers.
Now, a woman who recently bought a home with solar panels is wondering how it can be fair.
When solar panels were first introduced, they were surrounded with excitement for their potential to reduce monthly electricity fees for homeowners.
In the last month, all of that changed. Many homeowners are shocked.
Rachael McKinnon feels cheated.
"I was excited to go from a $300 a month electric payment down to a locked in rate of $75 a month," McKinnon told Action News.
On December 22, Nevada commissioners adopted a policy that increases fixed electricity fees and reduces the rate NV Energy pays solar homeowners for putting excess power back on the grid.
"This morning I got the email from Sunrun telling me that the anti-solar policy has passed," said McKinnon.
She closed on her home December 15, signing a 20-year lease for the solar panels that came with the house.
She feels blindsided and believes the selling-agent for the home should have warned her what was to come.
"I kind of relied on the Real Property Disclosure in the purchase agreement which says there were no issues with the solar panels," said McKinnon.
We reached out to the selling agent. They say they were unaware of the coming changes.
After all, commissioners didn't approve the new rule until 7 days after Rachael closed on the home.
They say Rachael was given the standard 10-day due diligence period to do her own research before signing the solar lease.
"If I knew that this was going to happen and I signed into a 20-year lease, I would have never purchased the home,” said McKinnon.
Rachael says if there's anyone who knew what was coming, it was the solar provider Sunrun because in the letter they sent they stated they've been fighting this “for months”.
"If this has been going on for months, you know, they could have provided documentation as to what was going on then let me make the decision instead of signing a 20-year lease."
Sunrun promises customers who signed a lease before January 1 will maintain their original energy rates.
However, Rachael wants to sell her home in the near future and is worried that no one will want a home with solar panels.
In this case, the enemy is time.
When Rachael closed on the home there simply wasn't enough concrete information for her to make the best decision.
