SOLAR power users are rejoicing after a State government backflip on plans to halve their electricity rebate.
More than 6000 people in Mandurah have signed up to the solar panel scheme, the highest number in regional Australia.
Local residents have heralded the decision, made after unprecedented public outcry forced cabinet to dump the plans to cut their electricity feed-in tariff by half.
Premier Colin Barnett announced on Monday the 40 cent solar feed-in tariff would stay, less than 4 days after treasurer Troy Buswell announced it would fall to 20 cents per unit of electricity generated.
The plan to cut the rate was expected to save the government $51 million.
Homeowners who invested in solar power systems signed a 10-year agreements with power retailer Synergy.
In a statement, Mr Barnett said the government had "got this decision wrong and we have to fix it".
"We have listened, and we appreciate the commitment that many people have made to take up renewable energy, like solar power," he said.
"We understand that this measure would have had an unfair impact on one section of the community and it has to be reversed."
Mr Buswell had only moments earlier told journalists there was no chance the decision would be reversed.
