US industry acts to unblock disputed 584MW solar pipeline

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
A regulatory blessing to the new deal would clear the way for closer to 600MW of small-scale solar in Michigan (Credit: Flickr / Joe Ross)

A dispute holding up a solar project backlog of nearly 600MW in Michigan is now one step closer to resolution, under a truce brokered with the help of industry representatives.

Last Friday, US solar body SEIA urged the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to green-light a new agreement between solar players and utility Consumers Energy to unblock a 584MW pipeline.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

In documents filed earlier this month, both sides call on the state regulator to approve a deal that would do away with a raft of complaints tabled by solar firms against Consumers in recent years.

The dispute was driven by Consumers’ inability to process a fast-building backlog of interconnection requests, raising concerns that the utility could be in breach of its obligations under the PURPA Act.

Signed by 20 solar developers and MPSC’s own staff, the proposed new deal commits Consumers to interconnecting the 584MW pipeline at annual rates of 150MW, starting next year.

The 584MW batch – projects all in the 0.1-20MW capacity range – will be backed by power purchase agreements (PPAs) with standardised terms, featuring Consumers as the offtaker.

The utility promised “commercially reasonable efforts” to link the entire 584MW backlog by September 2023, to ensure they can go live in 2024 and reap investment tax credit (ITC) support.

Obligations under Jimmy Carter-era legislation

The conflict pitting Consumers against the solar industry centres around the rights and obligations the former faces under the so-called PURPA [Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act] of 1978.

The law was a bid by the Jimmy Carter-era Congress to diversify the US’ energy mix and embrace alternative energy sources, at a time when US$100-a-barrel oil prices were being predicted.

The act requires Consumers and other public utilities to purchase energy from small energy producers, at “just and reasonable” rates for their electric customers.

The Michigan utility remains a solar proponent – its latest plan foresees a PV roll-out of 6GW by 2040 – but found itself facing an “unprecedented” build-up of linking applications in recent years.

According to the utility, the queue – currently reaching 3.5GW-plus – has put a “strain” on its ability to process requests “in a timely manner while also ensuring system reliability and safety.”

The brighter turn of events for Michigan’s utility-sponsored PV comes as activity builds in other states, with players including Virginia’s Dominion and Nevada’s NV Energy announcing moves.

Solar-plus-storage hybrids are too gaining traction among the US utility ranks, with some finding “hard to beat” financial benefits in replacing coal with the technology duo.

See here to read SEIA's reaction in full

US solar prospects amid utility moves and a changing incentive landscape will take centre stage at Solar Media's Solar & Storage Finance USA, to be held in New York on 29-30 October 2019

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.
21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.
16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

August 29, 2025
US-based climate insurance provider kWh Analytics has launched a new renewable energy insurance cover for extreme weather events.
August 29, 2025
US grid interconnection agreements grew by 33% in 2024, reaching 75GW, with three-quarters signed for solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects, according to a new report from energy market analyst Wood Mackenzie.
Premium
August 29, 2025
PV Tech Premium hears from Renewable Properties and Silicon Ranch about the new 'start of construction' rules for US solar projects.
Premium
August 28, 2025
US solar companies could potentially pay “tens of billions” of dollars in retroactive duties on products imported from Southeast Asia between June 2022 and June 2024, following a decision from the US Court of International Trade (CIT).
August 28, 2025
Boviet Solar has completed exterior construction work on its 3GW PV cell manufacturing facility in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina. 
August 27, 2025
The governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, has signed a new legislation that seeks to build 3GW of new community solar by 2029.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines