Leaders from more than 100 Pennsylvania organizations addressed a letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission demanding interconnection reforms for a greener and affordable grid. The supporting organizations, representing Pennsylvania businesses, civic leaders and environmental groups, are present in communities affected by fossil fuels and increasing energy prices.
“They share the belief that the key to securing a resilient and affordable energy system in a time of economic unpredictability lies in adding more reliable and cheap local distributed energy resources (DERs). This includes solar, wind, and battery storage, as well as energy efficiency. However, this vision is being hindered by inconsistent and convoluted interconnection procedures by which projects get approval from their utility to connect to the grid,” the group stated in a press release.
The submitted letter states: “In the absence of meaningful interconnection reforms, significant damage has already been done. With federal investment tax credits expiring soon, viable solar projects across Pennsylvania face cancellation. As regional interconnection delays persist, our state’s ability to facilitate distributed energy resources becomes increasingly critical.” In addition, Pennsylvania utilities are “slow-walking local interconnection requests. Local solar projects face opaque approval processes without clear timelines or consistent standards. These delays result from inadequate utility-managed interconnection procedures that the PUC has the authority to fix.”
Signers of the letter include Vote Solar, the PA Solar Center, Mid-Atlantic Solar and Storage Industries Association, Reclaim Philadelphia and POWER Interfaith.
“Pennsylvania’s solar industry, which employs about 7,000 people, has already been hit hard this year by the looming expiration of the solar tax credit,” said Sharon Pillar, founder and executive director of the PA Solar Center. “If the PUC were to fix these interconnection issues, they would be extending a lifeline to solar companies when they need it most -– while also helping to lower energy bills for all Pennsylvania energy consumers, regardless of whether they are solar consumers or not.”
News item from the Pennsylvania Solar Center
