WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) affirmed its determination on key provisions in Order No. 2023, its landmark interconnection ruling. 

In July 2023, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) supported FERC’s proposed interconnection reforms and praised the commission for its efforts to promote accountability and penalize utilities and transmission owners that fail to respond to interconnection requests in a timely manner. 

Following is a statement from Melissa Alfano, senior director of energy markets and counsel for SEIA on the development: 

“Today the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) upheld penalties for utilities and transmission owners that fail to process interconnection applications in a timely manner. This decision sends a strong message that the Commission is committed to implementing meaningful interconnection reforms that promote fairness and accountability. 

“For the last decade, utilities have slow-walked interconnection applications and failed to make progress on their own, causing a massive, two-terawatt backlog of solar and storage assets waiting for permission to connect to the grid. These new rules will establish clear expectations for all parties involved in the interconnection process and outline consequences for inaction. 

“We commend FERC for maintaining these key provisions in Order No. 2023 and pushing for holistic interconnection reforms that can support a thriving clean energy economy. We will continue to work alongside FERC and our members to fully implement Order No. 2023.”