​Delaware PSC seeks clarity on interconnection project delays at Delmarva P&L

The Delaware Public Service Commission (DPSC) is requesting more information about what has delayed solar interconnection projects from Delmarva Power & Light Company (DPL), the state’s main utility.

Staff at DPSC filed a petition Sept. 11 asking for the commission to open a docket to better understand the electric interconnection standards and related requirements of DPL, a major electric and natural gas provider tasked with processing interconnection applications.

DPSC Executive Director Matt Hartigan explained that Senate Bill 2, which signed into law in 2021, overhauled parts of Delaware state law regarding community-owned energy generating facilities and renewable energy projects. The intent of the law was to lower the cost of energy in the state and increase the adoption of community-owned solar systems, Hartigan said, by removing certain barriers to these “community energy facilities (CEF),” as they’re referred to in statute.

Since the law was adopted, DPL has received more than 200 CEF interconnection applications and has been working with several CEF developers to work in Delaware, but no systems have become operational. Now, DPSC is hoping to learn why.

“We passed a law three years ago to get these interconnection projects up and running, and there are none up and running yet,” Hartigan said.

In the petition filing, DPSC staff said they’ve received several complaints from CEF developers about the timeline and costs associated with Delmarva’s interconnection process. Specifically, Hartigan said developers have told the commission it’s a lengthy process to get through DPL’s queue of applications, especially compared to elsewhere.

“The developers are telling us that's not the way it works in other states,” Hartigan said. “It's really about just trying to bring everyone into the same room, literally, and figure out what's going on.”

The DPSC tentatively expects to host a workshop in October or November to get feedback from Delmarva and developers about what’s delaying the projects, Hartigan said, in time for the commission to make formal proposals or policy recommendations early next year. Policy changes could come legislatively when Delaware General Assembly convenes in January or at the commission-level, Hartigan said, depending on what’s proposed.

Per the petition, DPSC staff hasn’t done a comprehensive review of interconnection tariffs, standards, and regulations since 2011.

The below NPM Interconnection Queue Applications chart (desktop only) highlights DPL’s pre-operational project pipeline based on NPM’s Market Research.

Included in this is both applications for utility-scale projects filed in grid operator PJM and also projects filed under the PEPCO+Delmarva Community Solar queue. At present, there are 51 applications in the latter queue across 116 MW.

*This story was originally published exclusively for NPM subscribers last month.

NPM US (New Project Media) is a leading data, intelligence and events company dedicated to providing origination led coverage of the renewable energy market for the development, finance, advisory & corporate community.