Nevada ratepayer urges PUCN to curb NV Energy's residential solar interconnection delays

Chris Banda, a member of the public speaking in Las Vegas during the commission's opening public comment period, urged the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to address what he described as excessive NV Energy delays in approving residential solar interconnections.

Banda said that when he installed solar panels his permission-to-turn-on (PTO) and temporary-disconnect requests incurred about four months of administrative delay before the system could be energized. He said the delay was later reduced after complaints but that many other customers and solar contractors at a Nevada solar convention reported similar lengthy waits.

"When I put up my solar panels, they inserted about 4 months of administrative delays in terms of a permission to turn on and a time, temporary disconnect," Banda told the commission. He said those administrative waits left rooftop solar systems idle while households continued to pay high electric bills, sometimes $300'$600 per month, and that the delays disproportionately hurt households with pools or multiple air-conditioning units.

Banda asked the commission to consider rules limiting PTO and temporary-disconnect delays to something like 10 days or to require NV Energy to reimburse customers for bills accrued during the delay if the utility cannot comply. He said that solar companies described the delays as needless and that he received unsatisfactory responses from NV Energy when he sought an explanation.

Chair Williamson thanked Banda for his comments; commissioners did not take immediate action during the meeting but directed that staff consider consumer complaints as part of ongoing dockets and reviews.

The commission did not adopt new interconnection rules at the meeting; Banda's comments were entered into the record for consideration by staff and commissioners.