Namaste Photo voltaic
On November 3, 2022, the Minnesota Public Utilities Fee accredited the implementation of a brand new and progressive Price Share Program for Xcel Vitality prospects who need to join photo voltaic or different distributed power tasks to the grid (Docket #18-714). The Price Share Program developed from a plan that was superior by Recent Vitality and companions at All Vitality Photo voltaic and TruNorth Photo voltaic in 2021 and Recent Vitality has been actively engaged on this and associated dockets over the previous yr.
Recent Vitality applauds the Fee for its resolution to approve the Price Share Program and new modifications that stability the pursuits of Xcel’s distributed power useful resource (DER) prospects and different price payers. The group additionally applauds Commissioner Schuerger for his consideration and prioritization of this essential concern.
“The price of interconnection upgrades has been a significant ache level through the years for Xcel Vitality prospects who set up photo voltaic however then expertise important shock prices to connect with the grid,” mentioned Isabel Ricker, director, clear electrical energy at Recent Vitality. “This new cost-sharing method will ease the interconnection price burden for purchasers, and can notably profit under-resourced prospects who could not have been capable of take into account photo voltaic up to now attributable to these prices.”
Immediately, most small photo voltaic tasks connecting to Xcel’s system don’t require grid upgrades, however within the case upgrades are required, the common price per challenge is about $3,600. The newly accredited Price Share Program, for which prospects will likely be eligible beginning January 3, 2023, would require prospects with tasks as much as 40 kW to pay a single charge of $200, which can cowl all improve prices as much as $15,000 per challenge. Moreover, under-resourced or “low-income” prospects as designated by the utility, will likely be explicitly exempted from paying this charge.
With the passage of the Inflation Discount Act (IRA) and extra federal funding for photo voltaic, Recent Vitality anticipates extra residential and enterprise prospects inside Xcel Vitality’s service territory will set up photo voltaic and this Price Sharing Program will assist to scale back the monetary uncertainty of the infrastructure upgrades wanted to connect with the grid.
This resolution is a giant step ahead in fixing one of many main interconnection points dealing with Xcel Vitality prospects, and Recent Vitality is wanting ahead to persevering with to work with the Fee, Xcel Vitality and photo voltaic installers on this docket and different interconnection points in Docket #16-521 together with timeliness and customer support.
Information merchandise from Recent Vitality
