Actor Mark Ruffalo testifies at Nevada solar panel hearing in Carson City

A big-name actor joined others in testifying Wednesday before a panel on Nevada solar power rates. A rate hike that took effect on January 1 has caused a ripple through the industry, resulting in hundreds of layoffs.

The Public Utilities Commission met in Carson City to discuss whether to suspend controversial new rates for rooftop solar power customers. They were looking at requests from solar company groups and the state consumer advocate to put a stay on the new rate hikes.

The actor is a climate change advocate and was greeted by a standing ovation after his testimony.

Commissioners released a draft order indicating they oppose the requests and don’t think the rate hike will cause the harm that solar companies say it will. At the same time of the Nevada meeting, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo pledged green initiatives that will have his state coal free by 2020.

The commission unanimously approved a rate hike for customers with rooftop solar panels in December. Proponents say it corrects a cost-shift that has traditional energy customers subsidizing about 17,000 solar customers.

Ruffalo posted this on his twitter page after the hearing: I stand with the hundreds of Nevadans asking @nevada_puc to protect #NVsolar, jobs and investments in our clean energy future #WeAreSolar.

President Obama and Presidential candidate Bernie Saunders shortly followed with like statements.

Sanders tweeted this: I stand with the hundreds of Nevadans asking @nevada_puc to protect NV solar jobs and investments in our clean energy future.

Rooftop solar companies say they’ve laid off hundreds of employees and stopped selling panels in Nevada because of the hike. The State of New York today released their plans to train 10,000 people for the clean energy workforce.

- South Tahoe Now staff story