What your utility requires before you energize

How they detect

AMI meters flag reverse flow documented

Drone and aerial line patrols reported

If they catch you

Notice first, then interconnection application or removal reported

Small and DIY notes

PTO required before export. Owner-builder self install allowed with permits. NEM3 net billing (Rule 21). documented

sources: PG&E getting started with solar · PG&E interconnections & renewables

Full PG&E page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

AMI reverse flow documented

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

Rule 21 process, PTO before operation, NEM3 net billing. Self install allowed with permits. documented

sources: SCE grid interconnections (Rule 21) · SCE net energy metering

Full Southern California Edison page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

AMI reverse flow documented

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

Rule 21 process, PTO before operation, NEM3 net billing. documented

sources: SDG&E solar application portal · SDG&E net energy metering

Full SDG&E page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

Monthly netting rider in NC since 2023. documented

Self install rules under review. being verified

sources: Duke Tier 1 interconnection (10 kW and less) · NC Public Staff net metering

Full Duke Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

MA net metering near retail for small systems. documented

sources: Eversource MA application to interconnect · Mass.gov utility interconnection

Full Eversource page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

PA 1:1 net metering. Standard PA Level 1 form applies, owner installation recognized on the state form. documented

sources: PA standard Level 1 form (PDF)

Full Duquesne Light page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Bidirectional meter rollout underway reported

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Utah HB 340 (2025) · RMP customer generation

Full Rocky Mountain Power page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

TDU meter data documented

Older meters can register exports as consumption, you pay for what you send documented

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

Deregulated market: buyback depends on your retail provider. Interconnection agreement with Oncor required for parallel operation, zero export included. documented

sources: PUCT DG interconnection rule 25.211 (PDF) · PUCT electric substantive rules

Full Oncor page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Monitors expected export: dispatched a tech when a permitted, grandfathered system stopped backfeeding after an inverter died reported

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

RCP export rate, steps down annually. Grandfathered net metering cohorts still exist. documented

sources: APS solar service plans

Full APS page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

Solar customers are moved to specific price plans, check before sizing. documented

sources: SRP solar price plans

Full Salt River Project page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

AMI reverse flow documented

If they catch you

Letter first reported

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: PSE customer connected solar

Full Puget Sound Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: NJ net metering & interconnection

Full JCP&L page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

AMI, statewide SIR framework documented

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

Re-verified Aug 2026: the SUNNY Act (plug-in solar, A.9111C/S.8512C) passed the legislature May 28 and still awaits the governor's signature, she has until end of 2026, effective 90 days after signing. Everything else in this row unchanged. documented

sources: NY standardized interconnection requirements · National Grid connect my solar

Full National Grid page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

AMI reads on 15-minute intervals with a reverse-power register reported

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: PECO Green Power Connection · PA standard Level 1 form (PDF)

Full PECO page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Pepco Green Power Connection · MD Level 1 form (PDF)

Full Pepco page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Maine PUC net energy billing

Full Central Maine Power page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: FPL net metering

Full FPL page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

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

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Georgia Power solar

Full Georgia Power page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

$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

sources: NWE net metering & interconnection

Full NorthWestern Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Avista net metering · WA RCW 80.60

Full Avista page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: AEP Ohio distributed generation

Full AEP Ohio page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: PA PUC net metering · PA standard Level 1 form (PDF)

Full UGI Electric page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: BGE getting started with solar · MD Level 1 form (PDF)

Full BGE page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Operating in parallel without written approval subjects you to disconnection under the Rider 18 tariff, with credit forfeiture on termination. documented

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: DTE rooftop solar & interconnection · MPSC distributed generation

Full DTE Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: NV Energy solar handbook (PDF) · PUCN net metering tiers

Full NV Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

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

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Nolin renewable energy & net metering · KY PSC interconnection guidelines (PDF)

Full Nolin RECC page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Oregon PUC renewable resources & net metering · Pacific Power customer generation

Full Pacific Power page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: PGE net metering capacity map · PGE interconnection process overview

Full Portland General Electric page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Dominion SC solar for your home · SC ORS Energy Freedom Act & Solar Choice

Full Dominion Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

A dedicated production meter records 100% of your generation by design documented

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Austin Energy Value of Solar rate · Austin Energy home solar guide

Full Austin Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: We Energies COG manual (PDF) · Wisconsin PSC customer-owned generation

Full WE Energies page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

FirstEnergy's own warning: depending on your existing meter, exports can register as consumption and you get billed for what you generate documented

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Potomac Edison MD interconnection · Potomac Edison / Mon Power WV interconnection

Full Potomac Edison page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Network protectors on the NYC secondary grid physically trip on reverse flow, your export is detected by the hardware itself documented

If they catch you

Operating without PTO violates the tariff and can mean required disconnection documented

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Con Edison applying for interconnection · NY standardized interconnection requirements (PDF)

Full Con Edison page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Consumers Energy interconnection information · Consumers Energy distributed generation program

Full Consumers Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

FirstEnergy's own warning: depending on your existing meter, exports can register as consumption and you get billed for what you generate documented

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: FirstEnergy Ohio retail interconnection · PUCO net metering

Full Ohio Edison page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

The co-op reserves the right to audit your installation and documents at any time documented

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: South Central Power member-owned solar FAQ · PUCO net metering (co-ops exempt)

Full South Central Power page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Their own FAQ: turning on before PTO throws an error message on the smart meter and an employee investigates it documented

If they catch you

Same FAQ: early operation puts your account in violation status and delays your export data reaching your REP documented

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: CenterPoint DG application FAQ · PUCT rule 25.211 (PDF)

Full CenterPoint Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: PSEG Long Island SGIP · LIPA SGIP tariff (PDF)

Full PSEG Long Island page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Advanced meter is mandatory for all new programs, two-way reporting by design documented

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Hawaiian Electric smart renewable energy programs · Smart renewable energy export

Full Hawaiian Electric (HELCO) page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: TVA dispersed power production · TVA Green Connect hub

Full Tennessee Valley Authority page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Duke interconnection up to 20 kW · PUCO net metering

Full Duke Energy Ohio page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: PSE&G solar application process · PSE&G Level 1 application (PDF)

Full PSE&G page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Dominion VA net metering · Dominion VA parallel generation

Full Dominion Energy page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Alabama Power solar page · Rate Rider RGB (PDF)

Full Alabama Power page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

How they detect

Being verified being verified

If they catch you

Being verified being verified

Small and DIY notes

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

sources: Xcel MN net energy metering · Xcel interconnection resources

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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

sources: TID self-generation rates · TID go solar

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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

sources: MDU renewable & solar energy · MDU rates and tariffs

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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

sources: Capital Electric interconnection resources · MDU ND avoided cost (for comparison)

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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

sources: Alliant WI customer interconnection · Wisconsin PSC customer-owned generation

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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

sources: National Grid MA interconnection documents · Mass.gov net metering guide

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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

sources: KUB generate your own power · TVA dispersed power production

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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

sources: SVEC steps to install your system · TVA dispersed power production

Full Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative page · report your timeline to see the average · request update

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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

sources: Xcel CO net energy metering · Xcel CO interconnection portal guide (PDF)

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Old-school application flow: submit online, receive a printable version by email, then sign and physically mail it with the application fee. It's only complete once the signed form, fee, and single-line diagram are in, then review and approval to proceed. Application and fee expire after one year idle. documented

No net metering since April 2024: it's real-time net billing. You pay retail for what you draw, exports earn the Export Credit Rate, a variable avoided-cost figure locked until an April 2028 filing and annually adjustable after. Size to self-consumption. documented

A formal non-export option exists under Schedule 68, residential cap 25 kW AC, covering both the technical export-prevention and how they verify it. Relevant: Idaho Power's own pages point to the state Building Safety bulletin warning against plug-and-play inverters, no plug-in law here. documented

Credit quirks: excess generation credits transfer to another account only once a year, request by Jan 31 for a March transfer, and unused credits are paid out on your final bill if you leave the territory. documented

sources: Idaho Power customer generation · Idaho Power CG FAQs

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Kingfisher runs its own municipal electric utility, so the Corporation Commission's interconnection rules for IOUs don't bind it, and no public DG program is published. The process starts with a call to the city utility office, get their requirements in writing. being verified

Expect the Oklahoma small-utility pattern regardless: application and interconnection agreement before install, IEEE 1547 and UL 1741 certified equipment, and a licensed electrician pulling the electrical permit. documented

Outside city limits you're likely on Cimarron Electric Cooperative, headquartered in the same town, a WFEC-member co-op where the co-op pattern applies: DG manual, application first, and monthly excess bought at an avoided-cost rate tied to SPP market prices, cheap. documented

Fees and buyback specifics are being verified, one call pins them down. If you make that call, the request-update button feeds what you learn back into this row. being verified

Reported by the requester: the city resells OG&E wholesale power, and local materials are openly unfriendly to solar. Expect a cold reception at the counter, get everything in writing. (thanks u/AdventurousAd3515) reported

sources: Oklahoma interconnection rules overview · WFEC-pattern co-op DG manual (example)

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Exelon sister of Pepco: apply before installation through the Green Power Connection portal. Installers usually file, but nothing stops a homeowner application. documented

Do this first: check their Heat Map and Restricted Circuit Map. Some circuits are closed or restricted to new solar, and building in one means contacting the Green Power team before you design anything. documented

Delaware side: 1:1 net metering with systems sized up to 110% of your 12-month usage, and a 2022 law raised the utility's opt-out cap from 5% to 8% of peak demand. SRECs sell through the state auction, and DNREC Green Energy grants exist on top. documented

Maryland side: the standard MD statewide Level 1 process applies, 1:1 netting, and the plug-in exemption is live. documented

sources: Delmarva green power connection · DE PSC renewable energy

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Combined interconnection and net metering application through ComEd's portal, with a certificate of completion and witness test in the flow. No energizing before approval. documented

The big change: systems interconnected after Jan 1, 2025 get supply-only netting under CEJA. Exports earn roughly the 9 to 10 cent supply portion while imports pay full retail, about half the old value. One improvement: credits now roll over indefinitely. documented

Grandfathering trap: pre-2025 systems keep full-retail netting for life, but lose it if a modification forces a new interconnection application, and changing system size, swapping inverter type, or adding a battery all count. Think hard before touching a grandfathered system. documented

The consolation prize: CEJA's smart-inverter rebate pays $300 per kW for solar, more with batteries, potentially $6k+ combined, but the battery rebate requires enrolling in Hourly Pricing, and for grandfathered systems taking the rebate historically meant giving up full-retail netting. documented

sources: Illinois Shines net metering changes FAQ · CUB: what's happening to solar in 2025

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Process per their own pages: application, then a standard state interconnection agreement grants approval to proceed, then install, then Certificate of Completion plus your inverter settings. MidAmerican reviews the settings and runs a witness test, $125 fee in Iowa, then swaps the meter and the executed certificate is your permission to operate. documented

The date that splits everything: applications completed before Jan 1, 2025 sit on Rate NM, effectively retail-rate netting with credits carrying forward, no cash-out. Applications after that land on Rate NEM: inflow and outflow metered separately in real-time 15-minute increments, with outflow credited at the tariff's outflow rate, below retail. Size to self-consumption on the new rate. documented

Iowa systems can run up to 1 MW capped at 100% of your load, Illinois up to 2 MW, and third-party PPA systems are excluded from netting entirely. documented

Illinois territory note: MidAmerican IL is under the same CEJA supply-only regime as ComEd for post-2025 customers, so the same grandfathering caution applies before modifying an older system. documented

sources: MidAmerican customer interconnection · Iowa Utilities Commission distributed generation

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