California announces new solar power plan

SACRAMENTO, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- The California Public Utilities Commission has approved a new solar initiative, with a goal of 3,000 megawatts of solar power generation capacity.

The goal involves installing solar power generators on about 1 million California rooftops, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday. There are currently about 130 megawatts installed.

To reach its goal, the commission has created a decade-long program of homeowner rebates for installing and using solar electric panels, the newspaper said, with incentives totaling $3.2 billion at a cost of about 50 cents per month to each residential electricity customer in California.

The program officially starts next January when the current program expires.