Rooftop solar company Sunrun drops suit against governor


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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A rooftop solar company that accused Gov. Brian Sandoval of political cronyism dropped a lawsuit seeking to force the release of his text messages and wants to mend fences after harsh statements over a Nevada rate hike.

Sandoval said he met Tuesday with Lynn Jurich, CEO of San Francisco-based Sunrun, in Carson City. He said she expressed the company's desire to re-enter the market in Nevada after laying off hundreds of workers and ceasing operations in the state after the rate increase took effect in January.

"Sunrun is certainly welcome to participate in Nevada's efforts to expand clean and renewable energy," Sandoval said in a statement following the meeting. "I look forward to Sunrun's contribution and hope to see constructive ideas about job creation, economic development, and making the best use of Nevada's solar resources."

Jurich said she appreciated the meeting.

"I welcome Gov. Sandoval's offer to have an open dialogue about the importance of bringing residential rooftop solar back to Nevada," she said in a statement.

The relationship between Sunrun and the governor's office grew tense over the past year, after lawmakers passed a bill in the 2015 legislative session that laid the groundwork for regulators to later approve a rate hike.

Regulators argue the new rates eliminate subsidies that non-solar customers are paying for solar customers, but rooftop solar companies dispute a cost-shift and released research Tuesday showing solar is a net benefit once all factors are considered.

Representatives from Sunrun suggested utility company NV Energy had inappropriate influence over the governor, pointing to two Sandoval advisers who lobby for the utility.

The company filed a public records request last summer seeking all communications between Sandoval, his aides and the 11 lobbyists who represented NV Energy during the 2015 legislative session.

The governor's office provided some emails, but no text messages, and Sunrun filed a lawsuit that Sunrun vice president Bryan Miller said "will show the truth about NV Energy's political influence in his office."

The legal challenge went to the Nevada Supreme Court before the parties entered mediation. Ultimately, both sides agreed to abandon the lawsuit with prejudice — meaning the lawsuit can't be re-filed — and pay their own legal fees.

No text messages were turned over.

Jurich said the Sunrun is still disappointed about the rate increase and that customers who signed up for rooftop solar before the hike took effect were not "grandfathered" into the previous, more favorable rate structure.

A Nevada task force that's developing energy policy proposals recently recommended grandfathering those users, and Jurich said Sunrun wants to work with that group.

She also acknowledged some of the heated statements made after regulators approved new rates.

"During those difficult times, statements were made that were not in the spirit of partnership that Sunrun has always intended to have with Gov. Sandoval," Jurich said.

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