St. Paul, Minnesota — On Thursday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) required Xcel Energy (Xcel) to implement new ways to review solar projects applying to connect to the grid while maintaining reliability and safety standards. As part of the Commission’s decision, Xcel will also pilot group application reviews, roll out a customer cost sharing proposal for system upgrades, and report back to the Commission on its progress. 

These decisions come in response to an increasing volume of interconnection applications, high numbers of already connected solar, as well as complaints of significant delays affecting customers who apply to connect solar projects to the grid. 

“Minnesota utilities, especially Xcel Energy, have experienced significantly increased customer interest in solar energy, requiring evolved and improved interconnection practices,” said Commissioner Matthew Schuerger. “The measures adopted today will put Xcel on a better path forward in support of safe, reliable, and timely interconnection of proposed solar projects.” 

As of 2020, Minnesota utilities have interconnected 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of distributed energy including a total of 11,377 customer-sited, utility, and community solar garden systems. As of January 1, 2022, Xcel Energy’s public queue alone had an additional 1,708 applications totaling 490 megawatts (MW) awaiting interconnection. Utility reported distributed energy resource data and charts showing growth over the past 10 years can be found at: https://mn.gov/puc/activities/utility-reporting/annual-der-reports/. 

The Commission’s decisions yesterday complement the Minnesota Distributed Energy Resources Interconnection Process (MN DIP). This set of statewide standards was approved by the Commission in April 2019. The MN DIP details the process utilities use to review applications to connect distributed generation projects to the grid and to develop interconnection agreements with applicants. Minnesota is seeing mostly solar projects, but interconnection standards are technology neutral and apply to all distributed energy resources. Visit https://mn.gov/puc/activities/economic-analysis/distributed-energy/interconnections/ for more information.

About 

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission regulates three cornerstone service industries in Minnesota's economy; electricity, natural gas and telephone. The Commission’s mission is to create and maintain a regulatory environment that ensures safe, adequate and efficient utility services at fair, reasonable rates consistent with State telecommunications and energy policies. It does so by providing independent, consistent, professional and comprehensive oversight and regulation of utility service providers. Learn more at mn.gov/puc Please contact Tricia DeBleeckere, 651-201-2254 or tricia.debleeckere@state.mn.us if you have any questions. 

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