US industry acts to unblock disputed 584MW solar pipeline

August 12, 2019
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

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

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

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

Premium
October 17, 2025
According to Ronak Maheshwari of CRC-IB, there has been a struggle for US renewable power projects to secure necessary equity .
October 17, 2025
A group of over 20 US states are suing the Trump administration for the cancellation of the US$7 billion Solar For All Scheme.
October 16, 2025
T1 Energy and Nextracker have agreed to use the latter’s steel module frames at the former’s new 5GW module manufacturing facility in Dallas.
October 16, 2025
US utility-scale solar additions grew by 56% in 2024, reaching 30GW from 2023’s 19GW and representing over 54% of all new electricity generation capacity added in the country last year.
October 15, 2025
The average price of a solar PPA signed in North America increased 4% between the second and third quarters of 2025, according to LevelTen.
October 15, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Geronimo has begun construction on it’s150MW solar project in Illinois and commissioned the 125MW PV project in Michigan.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK