Colorado has legalised plug-in solar devices and required utilities statewide to permit the use of meter collar adapters for customer-sited distributed energy resources.
The new law creates a regulatory pathway for portable-scale solar generation devices, mainly balcony solar or plug-in solar, which typically consist of one to four solar panels and an inverter designed for self-installation by homeowners or renters.
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The HB26-1007 legislation was signed by Colorado governor Jared Polis. Led by representatives Lesley Smith and Rebekah Stewart and senators Cathy Kipp and Matt Ball, it was passed both chambers of the Colorado legislature with bipartisan support.
Under the legislation, providers of retail electric service and wholesale energy are prohibited from requiring customer approval prior to the installation or use of a portable-scale solar generation device. The bill also bars utilities, homeowners associations and other entities from restricting or unreasonably prohibiting the installation, use or operation of such systems.
The law states that any covenant or restriction that directly or indirectly limits the use of portable-scale solar generation devices is unenforceable and void as a matter of public policy, although property owners may impose reasonable restrictions. Installations must comply with applicable fire and building codes relating to health and safety.
HB26-1007 also requires the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to revise interconnection rules by 31 December 2026 to explicitly allow customer ownership and use of meter collar adapters approved by nationally recognised testing laboratories. The updated rules must also prohibit commission-regulated utilities from requiring a production meter as a condition of interconnection for customer-sited distributed energy resources with a power output of 10kW or less.
The legislation further requires commission-regulated utilities to facilitate the installation of meter collar adapters by electrical contractors registered with the state electrical board. Municipally owned utilities and cooperative electric associations are also required to allow customer ownership and use of meter collar adapters and are prohibited from requiring production meters for interconnection.
According to the bill, the use of meter collar adapters is intended to reduce or eliminate the need for electrical panel upgrades, which can cost between US$2,000 and US$10,000 depending on the installation.
The legislation is intended to expand access to solar generation for renters and apartment dwellers, as plug-in solar systems do not require permanent rooftop installation and can be relocated when residents move.
