How does the solar capacity waitlist work?
LPEA members who are interested in installing solar but who live in an area that currently has restrictions on interconnection (Supplemental Review or No Interconnection) can sign up to be notified if the ability to interconnect a solar system becomes available.
There are two primary reasons that LPEA could be able to allow more interconnections:
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LPEA is actively studying the grid safety and reliability challenges created when local generation is close to meeting or exceeding the local demand for electricity. If the conclusions of the study indicate we can confidently have less restrictive limits, LPEA will adjust its restrictions at that time.
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If the local daytime electricity demand increases or the amount of local generation decreases, that additional capacity to interconnect will be made available.This analysis is being conducted bi-annually in the early summer and late fall.
Priority for newly available capacity is given on a first-come, first-served basis based on the waitlist effective date. Please see the FAQs below for program details. If you have questions not addressed in the FAQs below, please send an email to renewables@lpea.coop and we will be glad to answer it.
How do I sign up?
All you need to do to sign up is to complete the form below. You will receive an email confirming your submission which includes a unique submission identification number that you can use to see your place on the waitlist.
On this form you will be asked for some identifying information, the LPEA feeder that serves your property, and a few pieces of technical information specific to your proposed solar system. There are instructions on the form for where you can find the needed information.
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FAQ
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The waitlist effective date will be the earlier of A) when the waitlist request is submitted OR B) when the interconnection request was submitted so long as the member applies for the waitlist within 2 weeks from the date LPEA notified them of the affected feeder status.
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If LPEA concludes through its hosting capacity analysis that we can confidently have less restrictive limits, LPEA will adjust its restrictions and notify members upon making that determination.
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If the local daytime electricity demand increases or the amount of local generation decreases, that additional capacity to interconnect will be made available bi-annually in the early summer and late fall. We need to wait until after the spring and fall to ensure that we have properly identified the minimum local daytime demand for electricity over the past past six months.
Members will have one month to submit an interconnection application (or request a Supplemental Review) from the date they are notified of available capacity or their priority on the waitlist will be forfeited.
A member can choose to forgo the right to apply and remain on the waitlist if they notify LPEA within the one-month window. Ex. A member could decline the ability to go through the Supplement Review process in hopes that applications on the feeder will eventually not require this additional study process.
However, at no time can a person higher on the waitlist prevent someone lower on the waitlist from exercising their right. Ex. If a member on the waitlist, when offered all requested capacity, does not wish to submit an interconnection application at this time, any available capacity on that feeder will still be offered to other members on the waitlist.
No. Waitlist position is tied to an LPEA account. It cannot be transferred to a new account owner or a different account.
When you submit your waitlist request you will be issued a unique submission identification number. We will be posting spreadsheets that list all waitlist applicants in order of priority by affected feeders (areas). You can reference these spreadsheets to learn where you are on the waitlist and how much capacity is in front of your request.
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The challenge LPEA is facing is that local generation of power by solar systems is close to meeting or exceeding local demand for electricity which creates challenges for maintaining a safe and reliable grid.
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Capacity may become available if, through further study, LPEA determines it can have less restrictive limits on the amount of local power generation relative to local demand for electricity.
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Capacity will also become available if the amount of local generation decreases either because systems are removed or degrade over time, or if the demand for electricity during daytime hours increases. This could be caused by increased adoption of electric heating and cooling, electric water heaters, electric vehicles, or energy storage systems.
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This is our first year of actively monitoring this situation. Throughout the year we will be verifying certain data on our historical interconnection applications and this effort may yield additional capacity. Additionally, the way we are projecting the impact of solar systems that are approved, but not yet built, may result in more capacity being available when we analyze the actual local daytime demand for electricity with those systems in operation.
Current Solar Capacity Waitlist
This is the current solar capacity waitlist for the feeders with interconnection restrictions. It was updated as of 6/1/24. Please reach out to renewables@lpea.coop with any questions.