What your utility requires before you energize
Detection, enforcement, and the small-system interconnection path for 53 US utilities, in one table. Compiled from tariff filings, interconnection handbooks, PUC documents, and reported cases. Every claim is tagged with how well it is sourced, and every utility has its own page.
This started as a thread in r/SolarDIY, and several rows now include procedures contributed by members there. Read the thread or request your utility.
Vendor, installer, or permit service? This dataset is available for commercial use.
| Utility | How they detect | If they catch you | Small and DIY interconnection notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
CA
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
AMI meters flag reverse flow documented Drone and aerial line patrols reported |
Notice first, then interconnection application or removal reported |
sources: PG&E getting started with solar · PG&E interconnections & renewables PTO required before export. Owner-builder self install allowed with permits. NEM3 net billing (Rule 21). documented |
|
CA
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
AMI reverse flow documented |
Being verified being verified |
sources: SCE grid interconnections (Rule 21) · SCE net energy metering Rule 21 process, PTO before operation, NEM3 net billing. Self install allowed with permits. documented |
|
CA
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
AMI reverse flow documented |
Being verified being verified |
sources: SDG&E solar application portal · SDG&E net energy metering Rule 21 process, PTO before operation, NEM3 net billing. documented |
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NC / FL
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Duke Tier 1 interconnection (10 kW and less) · NC Public Staff net metering Monthly netting rider in NC since 2023. documented Self install rules under review. being verified |
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MA / CT
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Eversource MA application to interconnect · Mass.gov utility interconnection MA net metering near retail for small systems. documented |
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PA
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: PA standard Level 1 form (PDF) PA 1:1 net metering. Standard PA Level 1 form applies, owner installation recognized on the state form. documented |
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UT
plug-in live (HB 340)
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
Bidirectional meter rollout underway reported |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Utah HB 340 (2025) · RMP customer generation Plug-in systems up to 1.2 kW exempt from interconnection agreements (HB 340, 2025). documented Larger systems still require an application before operation. documented |
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TX
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
TDU meter data documented Older meters can register exports as consumption, you pay for what you send documented |
Being verified being verified |
sources: PUCT DG interconnection rule 25.211 (PDF) · PUCT electric substantive rules Deregulated market: buyback depends on your retail provider. Interconnection agreement with Oncor required for parallel operation, zero export included. documented |
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AZ
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Monitors expected export: dispatched a tech when a permitted, grandfathered system stopped backfeeding after an inverter died reported |
Being verified being verified |
sources: APS solar service plans RCP export rate, steps down annually. Grandfathered net metering cohorts still exist. documented |
|
AZ
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: SRP solar price plans Solar customers are moved to specific price plans, check before sizing. documented |
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WA
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
AMI reverse flow documented |
Letter first reported |
sources: PSE customer connected solar Schedule 152 application via PowerClerk before construction. Approval to construct, then sign-off before energizing. documented Schedule 150 credits expire March 31 each year, don't oversize. documented Net metering successor for new applicants unclear after 2025. documented Plug-in provisions were stripped from HB 2296 (2026), retry expected 2027. documented |
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NJ
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: NJ net metering & interconnection Level 1 under 10 kW, no fee, online portal, one-line diagram and site plan. No energizing before inspection and approval to operate. documented Review answer in 10 to 30 days. JCP&L settings file required on UL1741-SB inverters. documented NJ 1:1 net metering, annual excess paid at wholesale. documented |
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NY (upstate)
plug-in bill on governor's desk
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
AMI, statewide SIR framework documented |
Being verified being verified |
sources: NY standardized interconnection requirements · National Grid connect my solar Portal-only applications, acceptance before install, verification testing after. No fee under 50 kW, roughly 4 to 8 weeks to PTO. documented 1:1 net metering with a 20 year lock, plus the monthly CBC charge for post-2022 interconnects. March true-up. documented |
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PA
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
AMI reads on 15-minute intervals with a reverse-power register reported |
Being verified being verified |
sources: PECO Green Power Connection · PA standard Level 1 form (PDF) PA Level 1 under 10 kW, no fee. The state form has an owner-installed checkbox. documented Philadelphia L&I requires the completed PECO application before the permit, so utility first, city second. documented Lockable PECO-accessible AC disconnect required. 1:1 net metering with a May 31 cash-out for excess. documented |
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DC / MD
MD plug-in live since May 2026
checked 2026-07-02 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Pepco Green Power Connection · MD Level 1 form (PDF) Green Power Connection portal. Written approval required before install or operation. documented DC approval times reported at 12 to 24 weeks. reported MD plug-in solar legal since May 2026 (HB 1532), systems under 391 W exempt from UL listing. DC's GRID Act still pending in Council. documented Full retail 1:1 in both territories. documented |
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ME
plug-in live July 2026
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Maine PUC net energy billing Maine net energy billing, kWh credits. Interconnection application and signed agreement before energizing. documented Plug-in law took effect this month, two tiers: under 420 W needs no electrician and no utility notification, 420 to 1200 W needs a licensed electrician. First state with the two-tier split. documented |
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FL
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: FPL net metering Tier 1 under 10 kW: no application fee, no insurance requirement. Tier 2 above 10 kW requires proof of $1M liability. documented Interconnection agreement and FPL approval before operating, meter swap after. documented Florida has no plug-in solar law. documented |
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GA
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Tolerant while an application is pending: one member backfed without credit for six months awaiting inspection and PTO, no complaints. The ugly stories are no-paper-trail cases. reported |
sources: Georgia Power solar Mostly online process, homeowner desk in some areas. More scrutiny on batteries than panels in the paperwork. reported Off-grid systems don't involve the utility at all, city building and electrical permits only. reported |
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MT
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: NWE net metering & interconnection $25 interconnection agreement up to 100 kW, $25 update fee to add PV or batteries later. 1:1 net metering with no expiration on that agreement. reported Sequence: application and approval, UL cut sheets, single-line diagram, site plan with AC and DC disconnects labeled and within 10 ft of the meter, homeowner permit, DIY install, electrician inspection and signature, county inspection, send signed forms to NWE, and only then export. reported Contributed by u/rwright07, from a 9/2025 agreement |
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WA
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Avista net metering · WA RCW 80.60 Their own wording: apply before purchase or install. Around 20 business days to approval, self install acknowledged. documented Under 100 kW net metering, credits reset March 31. WA law blocks extra insurance requirements. documented |
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OH
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: AEP Ohio distributed generation Interconnection service agreement signed before install, field verification after. Around $319 meter fee. documented Exports paid at roughly 11 cents generation-only rate post-HB6, and systems capped at 120% of annual usage, which is why zero-export setups are popular here. documented |
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PA
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: PA PUC net metering · PA standard Level 1 form (PDF) Standard PA PUC Level 1 under 10 kW, owner installation recognized, 1:1 net metering with annual cash-out. documented Small utility, manual email process, expect patience. reported |
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MD
MD plug-in live since May 2026
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: BGE getting started with solar · MD Level 1 form (PDF) Green Power Connection portal, you can apply directly, a contractor isn't required. Applications under 20 kW AC take up to 20 days to process. documented Order is strict: application approved first, then install and county inspection, then Certificate of Completion, then meter swap, and no operating until the permission to operate email. documented The MD state form itself says you shall not operate until final acceptance by the utility. documented 1:1 retail net metering, credits bank indefinitely, or take the annual April payout for excess at the SOS rate (~10c). Systems sized to your annual usage. documented |
|
MI (metro Detroit)
checked 2026-07-03 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Operating in parallel without written approval subjects you to disconnection under the Rider 18 tariff, with credit forfeiture on termination. documented |
sources: DTE rooftop solar & interconnection · MPSC distributed generation Rider 18 Distributed Generation, $50 application fee, most homes are Level 1 (under 20 kW). Agreement signed in about 10 business days, then install, then DTE site visit with anti-islanding test and meter reprogramming before written permission to operate. documented Billing is inflow/outflow, not net metering: you pay full retail for inflow, outflow is credited at the power supply rate minus transmission, roughly a 45% haircut vs the old program. Don't oversize, systems cap at 110% of annual usage. documented Zero-export is a formal path here, not a loophole: DTE's non-export track requires reverse-power relaying and a three-line protection drawing, plus a study. documented Buying a home with a system? New owners must call the interconnection hotline and sign a fresh Parallel Operating Agreement. documented |
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NV
checked 2026-07-04 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: NV Energy solar handbook (PDF) · PUCN net metering tiers Self-installation is explicitly allowed by the property owner in NV Energy's own handbook, they verify you are the owner. Application via the PowerClerk portal with one-line diagram, site plan, and equipment specs, plus a non-refundable fee. documented No parallel operation before permission to operate. Completeness review within 10 business days, total time to PTO reported anywhere from 6-10 weeks to several months depending on project complexity. documented AB 405 rates: new systems land in Tier 4, monthly netting with excess credited at 75% of retail, locked for 20 years at the install address. By law you can't size past 100% of your annual usage (highest 12 months of the past 24). documented Fresh change: northern Nevada applications approved after Oct 1, 2025 get 15-minute netting instead of monthly, which cuts the value of midday exports. Existing customers keep their old structure. documented |
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KY (co-op)
checked 2026-07-05 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
The statewide tariff gives the utility the right to isolate your system for noncompliance, with written notice and a cure period in non-emergencies, immediate in emergencies. documented |
sources: Nolin renewable energy & net metering · KY PSC interconnection guidelines (PDF) Their own wording: the net metering tariff agreement must be completed and approved before beginning installation. Net metering caps at 45 kW, above that you're into a three-party cogeneration contract with Nolin and EKPC. documented Kentucky co-ops are PSC-regulated, so the process follows the statewide interconnection guidelines: certified (UL 1741) inverter, single-line drawing, and a visible-break external disconnect adjacent to the meter, accessible to the utility at all times. documented You handle your own Planning and Zoning permits, and local electrical inspection applies where required. Co-op culture point: they ask members to contact them first and hand out the state AG's solar-scam guide. documented |
|
OR
checked 2026-07-06 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Oregon PUC renewable resources & net metering · Pacific Power customer generation Oregon's statewide rules apply: 1:1 retail net metering up to 25 kW residential, application through their customer generation process, approval before you energize. documented Credits roll month to month, but leftovers at the end of the annual cycle (typically March) are donated to low-income assistance programs, not paid out. Size to your usage. documented Same parent as Rocky Mountain Power (PacifiCorp), but Utah's plug-in exemption does not travel to Oregon. documented |
|
OR
checked 2026-07-06 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: PGE net metering capacity map · PGE interconnection process overview Level 1 for certified small systems, decision within 10 business days of a complete application, and PGE's own checklist recommends applying and waiting for approval before beginning any construction. documented After install and local electrical inspection: send the signed agreement plus inspection proof, PGE site-inspects, swaps in a bidirectional meter, then issues permission to operate. documented 1:1 net metering up to 25 kW residential, monthly rollover, annual leftovers donated to low-income programs. PGE publishes a net metering capacity map, check your address before designing. documented Battery quirk: non-export batteries need a signed letter stating the battery will not backfeed. documented |
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SC
checked 2026-07-06 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Dominion SC solar for your home · SC ORS Energy Freedom Act & Solar Choice Their own wording: wait for interconnection approval before purchasing equipment or installing. PowerClerk application with a single-line diagram plus proof of homeowner's insurance with at least $100k personal liability. documented Sequence: approval, install, local inspection, then a separate Dominion utility inspection, meter swap (bidirectional plus a generation meter), then approval to energize. 24/7 access to your disconnect and meter is required. documented Solar Choice moves you to a time-of-use rate with exports credited by TOU period and a minimum bill. There's also an offset-only option with zero export credit, and a buy-all/sell-all rate. documented Home-sale trap: solar service does not transfer with the electric account. The new owner must apply via PowerClerk before the generation meter is reconnected, and renters can't reconnect it at all. documented |
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TX (muni)
checked 2026-07-06 · request update
|
A dedicated production meter records 100% of your generation by design documented |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Austin Energy Value of Solar rate · Austin Energy home solar guide Municipal utility, so the deregulated REP buyback landscape doesn't apply. Interconnection agreement plus City of Austin inspection, and the tariff requires approval before you energize or interconnect. Typical process 4 to 6 weeks, extra review above 25 kW. documented No net metering here: it's buy-all, credit-all. You pay retail for everything you consume and all production is credited at the Value of Solar rate, 9.91c/kWh residential, recalculated every three years with the next update Nov 2026. documented Credits roll over monthly but are non-transferable, have no cash value, and are forfeited when the account closes. Size to annual usage. documented The $2,500 rebate requires an approved contractor and their solar course, so a pure DIY install interconnects fine but forfeits the rebate. documented |
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WI
checked 2026-07-06 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: We Energies COG manual (PDF) · Wisconsin PSC customer-owned generation Wisconsin's statewide PSC 119 rules with state-approved forms. Application and approval before energizing, then commissioning testing: pass to get permission to operate, fail and there's a recommissioning fee. documented Their manual is picky: one-line diagrams and site plans must be computer generated, hand-drawn is explicitly not accepted, and disconnects must lock in the open position, mounted 30 to 72 inches above grade. documented Retail-rate credit for small systems, but monthly net excess is paid at the buy-back rate around 4.2c/kWh, so oversizing sells your surplus cheap. Typical timeline 30 to 60 days under 20 kW, up to 6 months if a transformer upgrade is needed. documented Fresh change: a solar disconnect waiver for energy storage systems took effect June 1, 2025. documented |
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MD / WV
MD plug-in live since May 2026
checked 2026-07-06 · request update
|
FirstEnergy's own warning: depending on your existing meter, exports can register as consumption and you get billed for what you generate documented |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Potomac Edison MD interconnection · Potomac Edison / Mon Power WV interconnection Portal-only since June 2025, emailed and faxed applications are no longer accepted, and there's now an application fee paid at submission. UL1741-SB inverters need the utility's settings file installed, same FirstEnergy quirk as JCP&L. documented No energizing before electrical inspection and a signed Certificate of Completion. The bidirectional meter swap after approval can take weeks, and exports earn nothing until it's in. documented MD side: 1:1 net metering with a choice, the default is an annual April payout at the commodity rate, you must opt in to bank credits at retail instead. Limited-export agreements are a documented option in MD. documented WV panhandle side: residential cap 25 kW, and after the 2024 rate case new customers get a 9.34c/kWh credit rate instead of 1:1, existing customers grandfathered. documented |
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NY (NYC / Westchester)
plug-in bill on governor's desk
checked 2026-07-08 · request update
|
Network protectors on the NYC secondary grid physically trip on reverse flow, your export is detected by the hardware itself documented |
Operating without PTO violates the tariff and can mean required disconnection documented |
sources: Con Edison applying for interconnection · NY standardized interconnection requirements (PDF) Statewide SIR via PowerClerk, no fee under 50 kW, and small systems get an expedited self-certification track: simple application review, build, inverter test, self-cert form, then final acceptance and the meter order. documented The NYC catch: much of Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn and Queens sit on the secondary network, where systems are frequently approved zero-export only or denied outright regardless of size. Check which grid type serves your building before designing anything. documented DOB electrical permit and Con Ed approval are separate parallel tracks, neither satisfies the other. documented Phase One NEM: retail-rate credits, annual leftover paid at avoided cost, plus the monthly CBC charge for post-2022 interconnects. documented |
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MI
checked 2026-07-08 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Consumers Energy interconnection information · Consumers Energy distributed generation program Same Michigan inflow/outflow framework as DTE: PowerClerk application, commissioning test report, system stays off until permission to operate. Total program plus review fees are capped at $50 by rule. documented You pay retail for inflow, outflow earns roughly the power-supply component, well below retail, so size to self-consumption. Systems cap at 550 kW or 110% of annual usage. documented A 2024 improvement DTE doesn't match: since Feb 2024 credits apply to all electric charges, not just the power-supply portion of the bill. documented Buying a home with a system: program tenure and credits transfer, but only after a New Move In Form plus $25 fee, mailed in, with a fresh agreement drafted within 10 business days. Credits start from when you establish service, not retroactively. documented |
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OH
checked 2026-07-08 · request update
|
FirstEnergy's own warning: depending on your existing meter, exports can register as consumption and you get billed for what you generate documented |
Being verified being verified |
sources: FirstEnergy Ohio retail interconnection · PUCO net metering Level 1 under 25 kW certified inverter, online portal, and the Net Energy Metering Rider application goes in alongside it. No energizing before electrical inspection and a signed Certificate of Completion. documented Their own form language: the customer assumes all financial and operational risk for equipment bought before the utility accepts the application. Apply before you buy, in legalese. documented Netting is 1:1 per kWh up to your monthly consumption, monthly excess is credited at the generation-only rate, a few cents. Ohio caps systems at 120% of your annual usage. documented FirstEnergy publishes a Solar Accommodation Map showing hosting capacity per circuit, check it before designing. documented |
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OH (co-op)
checked 2026-07-08 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
The co-op reserves the right to audit your installation and documents at any time documented |
sources: South Central Power member-owned solar FAQ · PUCO net metering (co-ops exempt) Co-op rules, PUCO's net metering framework doesn't apply. Process is inverted: you contact the co-op first, they prepare the application for you and deal with you directly, no installer interaction. Installation cannot begin until documents are executed and the fee is paid. documented Net billing since March 2022, settled hourly: excess in any hour is bought by Buckeye Power at a rate set annually, which their own graph describes as volatile. Size for self-consumption. documented No PTO letter: permission to operate is automatic once the bi-directional meter is installed. documented Residential cap 25 kW-AC at the inverter, and Ohio law prohibits PPAs in their territory. documented |
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TX (Houston)
checked 2026-07-08 · request update
|
Their own FAQ: turning on before PTO throws an error message on the smart meter and an employee investigates it documented |
Same FAQ: early operation puts your account in violation status and delays your export data reaching your REP documented |
sources: CenterPoint DG application FAQ · PUCT rule 25.211 (PDF) Application via their eTRACK+ portal with one-line, site layout, and approved equipment models. Interconnection agreement signed, then PTO, then the meter is reprogrammed, then you may operate. documented Self-installs are explicitly recognized: contractor jobs get photo-based visual inspection, DIY jobs get a scheduled onsite one. documented Like Oncor: CenterPoint buys nothing, your REP handles buyback, and the smart meter reports excess in 15-minute intervals you can check yourself on smartmetertexas.com. documented Lockable AC disconnect with external handle within 10 feet of the meter. documented |
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NY (LIPA)
plug-in bill on governor's desk
checked 2026-07-08 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: PSEG Long Island SGIP · LIPA SGIP tariff (PDF) Not under the state SIR: LIPA runs its own Small Generator Interconnection Procedures, administered by PSEG-LI, with its own online portal. A complete application must be in before installation. documented 10 business days for the completeness and approval decision, fast track for systems under 50 kW. After install: town or county electrical inspection, then a utility-side inspection, then PTO and the bidirectional meter. documented Long Island kept genuine retail net metering for residential systems while the rest of NY moved on, one of the last true 1:1 territories in the state. documented |
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HI (Hawaii Island)
checked 2026-07-08 · request update
|
Advanced meter is mandatory for all new programs, two-way reporting by design documented |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Hawaiian Electric smart renewable energy programs · Smart renewable energy export Net metering died here in 2015 and every successor (CGS, Smart Export, Self-Supply, SIA) closed to new customers in March 2024. New grid-tied systems apply through Smart DER via the Customer Interconnection Tool, choosing an export or non-export track, with auto-enrollment in the TOU rate. documented Export pays time-varying rates (low midday, higher evening peak), locked 7 years for new customers, and leftover credits expire at annual true-up. Batteries via BYOD Plus keep credits without expiry. documented Strictest equipment rules in the country: UL 1741 SB certified to Hawaiian Electric's own SRD V2.0, Qualified Equipment List only, per-island Rule 14H. documented Before continuous operation there's an inspection with two weeks lead time, including a witnessed no-backfeed test, a qualified person meters the open disconnect with a voltmeter. documented |
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TN + 6 states (153 LPCs)
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: TVA dispersed power production · TVA Green Connect hub TVA isn't your utility: it's the federal wholesale authority behind roughly 153 local power companies, and your interconnection agreement is always with your LPC, under the LPC's own rules. TVA sets the framework on top. documented No net metering exists anywhere in TVA territory, their own FAQ states it flatly. Self-consumption is the entire game here. documented Exports can still pay through Dispersed Power Production: sell excess or all generation to TVA at avoided cost, paid monthly by ACH, enrolled via the TVA Green Hub. An executed interconnection agreement with your LPC comes first, and systems 250 kW or under skip TVA transmission screening. documented Green Connect, the residential on-ramp, requires a TVA Quality Contractor Network installer, so pure DIY takes the plain LPC-interconnection route instead. And mind the fine print: without DPP enrollment, the agreement says you will not be reimbursed for power that flows to the grid. documented |
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OH
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Duke interconnection up to 20 kW · PUCO net metering Ohio's statewide rules apply: systems sized up to 120% of your usage, and monthly excess credited at the standard-service-offer energy rate only, a few cents post-HB6. documented Short form application with a $50 fee, one-line diagram, equipment certification, and a required disconnect switch. After install and inspection: Certification of Completion, then permission to operate once the meter is set. reported Timeline runs about 20 to 35 business days for residential, the shortest of Ohio's big three. On time-of-use rates Duke nets hourly, which changes the math on self-consumption. reported PUCO's own warning worth knowing: credits attach to the premise and may be lost if you relocate or stop taking service. documented |
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NJ
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: PSE&G solar application process · PSE&G Level 1 application (PDF) Check their Solar Power Suitability Map first, it tells you whether your circuit can even take the system before you apply. Then a two-part application: part one before construction, part two after. documented Precise clocks, from their own page: review confirmation within 3 business days, engineering determination within 18, approval or denial email within 21, and construction only after approval. After the UCC certificate: inspection outcome within 25 business days, meter swapped to bidirectional immediately on a pass, then the PTO notice authorizes turn-on. documented Level 1 under 10 kW has no fee and no liability insurance requirement, the form says so explicitly. documented The DIY catch: PSE&G's own FAQ answers the self-install question with a flat no, you must hire a solar contractor, even though the statewide NJ form contemplates owner-installers. Expect friction here that JCP&L doesn't give you. documented Standard NJ 1:1 net metering, annual true-up pays leftovers at wholesale LMP. documented |
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VA
plug-in live July 2026
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Dominion VA net metering · Dominion VA parallel generation NMIN application through their self-service portal, Adobe Sign signatures from both customer and vendor, and a contingent approval email before you install. documented Self-installers are named in Dominion's own process: after install, certification comes from a licensed Virginia electrician or a passed local inspection, either path works, and the vendor or self-installer uploads the proof to close Section 5. documented Dominion explicitly does not review your equipment choice, installation method, or location, only grid compatibility per UL 1741 and IEEE 1547. Code compliance is entirely on you and your AHJ. documented Monthly credits carry forward and get applied against future net consumption, and you can sell your RECs to Dominion or on the open market. documented |
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AL
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
|
Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Alabama Power solar page · Rate Rider RGB (PDF) Their own wording: ensure your interconnection application is approved before purchasing or installing. Process follows the Southern Company interconnection policy plus Alabama Power's technical guidebook, with a utility-accessible external disconnect. documented The famous one: Rate Rider RGB adds $5.41 per kW of nameplate capacity per month to every interconnected self-generator, about $27 a month on a 5 kW system, charged regardless of how much backup power you actually use. Challenged for a decade, upheld in federal court in March 2026. documented No net metering in Alabama: excess is credited at avoided cost, far below retail. The fee plus the credit structure is why the state ranks last in the country for residential solar. documented Northern Alabama is TVA co-op and muni territory instead, where none of the above applies. Check your bill before planning anything. documented |
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MN
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Xcel MN net energy metering · Xcel interconnection resources Xcel's own note in bold: construction should not commence until full engineering approval and signed agreements. Applications go through their portal, Level 1 screens run within 10 business days of a complete application, engineering review within 15, and you can manage your own application, an installer isn't required to hold it. documented Minnesota statute is one of the strongest netting laws left: systems under 40 kW get credited at the average retail rate, and outside the Solar*Rewards incentive you keep your RECs. documented The finish: final electrical inspection uploaded, agreements countersigned within 2 business days, meter installed within about 20 business days with a witness test, then PTO by email. documented Battery quirk for the zero-export crowd: non-export control settings are part of the review, and for some configurations the inverter programming must be locked so the customer can't change it. documented |
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CA (muni)
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: TID self-generation rates · TID go solar Not a CPUC utility: TID is a publicly owned irrigation district with board-set rates, so NEM3 and Rule 21 don't apply here. Its old net metering schedules closed when it hit the state cap, and new customers land on Self-Generation rate schedules instead. documented Those schedules carry a demand charge, billed on your maximum 15-minute interval each month, which most residential customers have never seen. Time-of-use energy charges apply too. documented Unusual freedom with a catch: system sizes are not limited to your load at this time, but TID reserves the right to study or limit, and virtual net metering is prohibited. documented Their own warning, verbatim spirit: the District regularly changes rate schedules and these changes could negatively impact your expected return on investment. Believe them. documented |
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ND / SD / MT / WY
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: MDU renewable & solar energy · MDU rates and tariffs Their own wording: it is essential to contact MDU before beginning your project, and grid-connected generation requires an executed interconnection agreement. documented The state split is everything here. Montana and Wyoming get net metering with kWh credits rolling up to 12 months. North Dakota and South Dakota get net billing: monthly excess is bought at MDU's avoided cost, currently 2.69 cents per kWh. documented That ND number means exports are nearly worthless, so size strictly to self-consumption east of the state line. No MDU incentives exist in any state. documented |
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ND (co-op)
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Capital Electric interconnection resources · MDU ND avoided cost (for comparison) Bismarck-area co-op (Burleigh and southern Sheridan counties), so North Dakota's PSC rules don't bind it, the board sets the terms. Their own page asks members to come to the co-op before signing any contract, and they'll help right-size the array. documented The co-op pattern applies: interconnection application and agreement through them directly, and expect efficiency-first counseling before they talk panels. documented Buyback rate and fees are being verified, co-ops publish these in member policies rather than public tariffs. If you're a member, their office quotes it in one call. being verified |
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WI
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Alliant WI customer interconnection · Wisconsin PSC customer-owned generation Wisconsin's PSC 119 statewide rules with state-approved forms, same framework as WE Energies. Applications are classified by size, and their page recommends pulling a summary report from their Distributed Generation Assist tool before designing. documented Netting is retail up to your monthly usage, and monthly excess cashes out at the avoided-cost credit, an average of 4.254 cents as of Jan 2026, updated annually. Size to usage or sell your surplus cheap. documented Above 20 kW you land on the PgS-1 parallel generation rate where the meter doesn't net at all. documented Moving target warning: Alliant pushed hourly netting in its rate case and the PSC's statewide net metering investigation is still open, so these rules are actively in motion. documented |
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MA
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: National Grid MA interconnection documents · Mass.gov net metering guide Simplified track for small systems with a $28 application fee: apply, receive initial acceptance, install, then verification or witness testing before final approval to operate. A fresh interconnection tariff (MDPU 1579) took effect April 2025. documented MA netting is among the strongest anywhere: credits include supply, distribution, and transmission components, and they roll forward indefinitely. The Schedule Z form lets you allocate credits to other accounts in the same load zone. documented DIY-friendly touch: National Grid publishes sample one-line diagrams for residential PV, including a microinverter version, so you can match the expected format exactly. documented Move trap from their own FAQ: credits transfer only if you stay in their territory and the same ISO-NE load zone. Move out of state, to another utility, or across load zones, and your banked credits are forfeited. documented |
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TN (TVA LPC)
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: KUB generate your own power · TVA dispersed power production Municipal LPC under TVA, so the TVA framework row applies on top: no net metering exists, and exports only pay via TVA's Dispersed Power Production at avoided cost. documented The number that stings: KUB charges a $500 application fee for any interconnection, stated plainly on their own page. That's twenty times what NorthWestern Montana charges for the same paperwork. documented Sequence per local guidance: city or county electrical permit first, KUB interconnection approval after. KUB steers customers toward TVA's Quality Contractor Network and NABCEP-certified installers. documented With avoided-cost-only exports and a $500 entry fee, the math here is self-consumption or nothing. Size small, use everything you make. documented |
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TN (TVA LPC)
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: SVEC steps to install your system · TVA dispersed power production TVA LPC co-op (about 35,000 members across Marion, Grundy, Sequatchie, and Bledsoe counties), so the TVA framework row applies: no net metering exists, exports only pay through TVA's Dispersed Power Production at avoided cost. documented Process per their own pages: interconnection application with a line diagram and a copy of the final building permit, State of Tennessee inspections, then written permission to operate. Their PTO clock is unusually fast, typically 5 to 10 business days after paperwork, 30 max, and putting your email on the application speeds it up. documented Their own caveat: engineering review may find upgrades are needed to support your system, at your cost and with delay. documented Note for DIYers: every step on their pages says 'your contractor', the process language assumes one throughout. Application fee and buyback specifics are being verified, one call to the co-op pins them down. being verified |
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CO
checked 2026-07-09 · request update
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Being verified being verified |
Being verified being verified |
sources: Xcel CO net energy metering · Xcel CO interconnection portal guide (PDF) Same Xcel machinery as Minnesota, their own note included: construction should not commence until full engineering approval and signed agreements. Portal application, Level 1 screens within 10 business days of a complete file, agreements countersigned within 2, meter set within about 20, then PTO by door hanger and automated email. You get 18 months before an idle application auto-withdraws. documented The most generous sizing rule in this table: systems can be designed up to 200% of your historical consumption, combined across all generation at the address. documented Equipment must be UL 1741 SB certified and listed on the CEC equipment lists, and liability insurance only enters the picture above 1 MW. documented Credits depend on your rate choice: TOU pays more if you export during peak, flat rate is predictable, and banked kWh come with a rollover-or-waive election. The Solar*Rewards incentive adds a $100 study fee and requires a NABCEP installer, but plain interconnection doesn't. documented |
Rules change constantly. Each row shows when it was last checked, and you can request a re-check. This is research, not legal or engineering advice. Read your own tariff before you spend money.
The zero-export reality check
Grid-interactive units chasing load overshoot for a moment when a big appliance shuts off, and AMI meters log those reverse-flow intervals. That is exactly how the poster in the original thread got flagged. reported
EG4 6000xp and 12000xp owners report leakage in bypass and grid-charging modes. A true break-before-make transfer switch cannot backfeed. Community workarounds on record: keep a load on the grid input, or set a negative export limit where the inverter supports one. reported
Zero-export controllers are multiplying, Craftstrom today and AP Systems' EZ-1 zero-export control shipping July 2026. Hardware is moving faster than the rules: in most territories a zero-export device does not remove the interconnection requirement, because the agreement covers parallel operation, not export. documented
Check yourself before the utility does: put a clamp meter on your grid input, or wire in an energy monitor and read the export register yourself. Zero is the number you want.
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For vendors, installers, and permit services
If your customers keep asking "do I need an interconnection agreement for this setup?", that question is what this dataset answers, per utility, evidence-graded, dated, and maintained. It's available for commercial use:
- Territory one-pagers, created in a standard format with your logo: what their utility requires, what it detects, what the legal path for your product looks like there.
- A check-your-utility widget for your product pages, so "is this legal with my poco?" gets answered before it becomes a support ticket or a lost sale.
- The raw dataset as CSV with update rights, for permit services and platforms that want the research layer without maintaining it.
Depth per utility looks like this: a full worked example for one territory (PDF). Every claim tagged and cited, county-level detail resolvable on request.
Everything above is a subscription to maintained data, not a one-off deliverable: rules change constantly (this table logs the changes), and the value is that yours stays current without you owning the research.
Email hello@sunheap.comOne paragraph about your use case is enough. Everything here runs async over email, replies within a day, no calls, no procurement portals.
Your utility not here, or a row gone stale?
Tell me which one. New rows are added in request order, stale rows get re-verified, and you get one email when it is done. Nothing else, no list, no newsletter.