Balcony Solar in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's portable-solar bill (H 7269 / S 2658) passed the House in July 2026, with a Senate companion advancing. It allows up to 1,200 W via a standard 120V outlet and exempts systems from net metering and interconnection.
Reviewed August 6, 2026 against primary sources. Laws change — the sources below let you re-check.
Would Rhode Island's bill require UL 3700?
No — the bill does not name UL 3700.
Meet the standards of the most recent version of the National Electrical Code; and Is certified by Underwriters Laboratories or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory.
Names UL or an NRTL equivalent plus the NEC; does not cite UL 3700.
Why this matters: “certified by UL” names an organization; “certified to UL 3700” names a plug-in-PV standard. They are not the same claim. Full explainer →
What the law does
- Must include a feature that prevents the system from energizing the building's wiring during a power outage (anti-islanding).
- Exempt from interconnection standards and the net metering program; no utility approval, fees, or extra equipment.
What's still unsettled
- Passed the House (July 2026); Senate companion advancing. Not yet law.
Before you buy in Rhode Island
This bill is not law yet — until it passes and takes effect, Rhode Island's existing utility and electrical rules apply. Even once it passes, the gear has to actually be certified to what the law asks, and today no plug-in kit sold in the US carries UL 3700 yet. What "UL 3700 certified" really means →