SCE interconnection requirements
Sample preview — compiled from public sources 2026-08-19
Who this applies to
This page covers behind-the-meter generating facilities — solar, storage, and solar-plus-storage — interconnecting in parallel with Southern California Edison's distribution system under Electric Rule 21, the interconnection tariff that the California Public Utilities Commission requires of its jurisdictional utilities (PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E each file their own version — this page describes SCE's filing and processes only).
- Residential and small commercial solar — filed under SCE's net-metering successor program, the Solar Billing Plan (California's Net Billing Tariff), for eligible renewable systems applied for after April 14, 2023. Legacy NEM 2.0 projects had a final-documentation deadline of April 14, 2026 (February 14, 2027 for Virtual NEM and NEM-Aggregation).
- Storage — stand-alone and paired storage interconnect as generating facilities; charging source and export mode shape the review.
- Non-export projects — generation for on-site use only (backup/standby and non-exporting configurations), filed under Rule 21 with non-export documentation.
- Larger export projects — Rule 21 exporting generator interconnection for projects selling or exporting outside the retail billing programs.
Wholesale projects under SCE's Wholesale Distribution Access Tariff (WDAT) and CAISO transmission-level interconnections are out of scope for this page.
Application pathway overview
SCE splits intake by program. Solar Billing Plan and NEM-class applications go through SCE's Online Interconnection Application System (a PowerClerk-based portal); Rule 21 exporting and non-exporting generator applications outside the retail programs go through SCE's Grid Interconnection Processing Tool (GIPT).
Rule 21 review is a screening ladder. Fast Track Initial Review runs technical screens within a published 15-business-day window; projects that pass interconnect without further study. Failing specific screens moves a project to Supplemental Review (additional non-refundable fee, 20 business days); failing that moves it to Detailed Study — SCE's Independent Study Process or a Distribution Group Study window — which is slower, costs more, and can identify distribution upgrades. Projects with transmission-level impacts transfer to the WDAT cluster process.
| Pathway | Typical projects | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Billing Plan / NEM-class interconnection | Residential and small commercial solar and paired storage | Streamlined screening through the Online Interconnection Application System; most projects clear Initial Review |
| Rule 21 non-exporting (Form 14-732 confirm current revision) | Backup/standby generation, on-site-use and non-export configurations | Fast Track screening reflecting certified non-export controls; filed through GIPT |
| Rule 21 exporting (Form 14-918 confirm current revision) | Exporting generators outside the retail billing programs | Fast Track → Supplemental Review → Detailed Study (Independent Study or Distribution Group Study) as screens require |
Required forms & documents
The structural contents of an SCE behind-the-meter packet. Exact forms depend on program and configuration; every form number below should be checked against SCE's current tariff book before filing.
- Interconnection application in the correct portal — Online Interconnection Application System for Solar Billing Plan / NEM-class, GIPT for other Rule 21 — tied to the correct customer of record and service account
- Signed interconnection agreement for the program (NEM-class agreement Form 16-344 confirm current revision)
- Single-line diagram showing point of interconnection, disconnects, overcurrent protection, and grounding
- Equipment spec sheets — CEC-listed modules, inverters, and storage; UL 1741 SB / Smart Inverter Phase 2 compliance per the CPUC directive effective August 29, 2023
- Storage operating details: charging source (grid vs. PV-only), export mode, and certified power control system documentation for limited- or non-export designs
- Sizing basis: system sized to historical load, or a signed oversizing attestation (up to 150% of annual usage)
- Final electrical permit / inspection clearance from the local building department (uploaded after installation)
- Contractor license (CSLB) information
- California Solar Consumer Protection Guide disclosures for residential sales
- Application fee payment per the program's current schedule
Fees
SCE charges a flat application fee that varies by program, paid at submission. Projects pushed into Supplemental Review or Detailed Study pay additional non-refundable study fees, and any grid upgrades identified are billed to the applicant.
| Item | Published amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee — Solar Billing Plan / NEM-class | $75 verify current schedule | Commonly reported residential-scale fee; confirm in SCE's current tariff schedules |
| Interconnection request fee — Rule 21 exporting and non-exporting generators | $800 verify current schedule | Non-refundable, per SCE's Rule 21 interconnection pages |
| Supplemental Review | $2,500 verify current schedule | Additional non-refundable fee per SCE's Rule 21 process description |
| Detailed Study (Independent Study / Distribution Group Study) | verify current schedule | Study deposits and fees per the Rule 21 tariff |
Filing here every month?
Design partners get 5 free filings and their territory encoded first — packets produced with dual human review while the software is built.
Typical timeline stages
- Submission — application, documents, and fee through the program's portal (Online Interconnection Application System or GIPT).
- Completeness review — incomplete applications receive a deficiency notice; unresolved deficiencies stall or withdraw the application.
- Engineering review — Fast Track Initial Review within a published 15-business-day window; Supplemental Review (20 business days) or Detailed Study only if screens fail.
- Approval and agreement — SCE publishes that a draft interconnection agreement follows within 15 business days of passing review.
- Installation and inspection — build to the approved design; obtain the local jurisdiction's final electrical clearance and upload it.
- Permission to operate — SCE publishes that simple solar-only requests with complete final documentation may receive PTO within about 10 business days; complex requests take longer.
Common deficiency causes
Common ways Rule 21 applications fall short of the published requirements above — each item is a requirement in SCE's and the CPUC's cited documents whose absence triggers a deficiency. Not drawn from SunDocket filing data.
- Customer-of-record or service-account data that doesn't match SCE's records — mismatches surface at completeness review
- Filing in the wrong portal for the program (Solar Billing Plan applications belong in the Online Interconnection Application System, not GIPT, and vice versa)
- Single-line diagram missing the point of interconnection, disconnect, overcurrent protection, or grounding detail
- Inverters not compliant with UL 1741 SB / Smart Inverter Phase 2, or equipment missing from the CEC certified equipment lists
- Oversized systems without the required sized-to-load attestation
- Storage nameplate math errors on multi-battery systems, or an undeclared charging source
- Limited- or non-export designs without certified power control system documentation
- Missing final electrical permit upload after installation, which stalls Permission to Operate
FAQ
How long does SCE interconnection take?
It depends on the pathway. SCE publishes an Initial Review window of 15 business days for Rule 21 Fast Track projects, with Supplemental Review adding another 20 business days if screens fail. For Solar Billing Plan projects, SCE states that simple solar-only requests with complete documentation may receive Permission to Operate within about 10 business days of a complete final package. Incomplete packets restart the clock, so completeness is the main lever an applicant controls.
What is the SCE interconnection application fee?
SCE publishes a non-refundable $800 interconnection request fee for Rule 21 exporting and non-exporting generator applications, with an additional $2,500 fee if a project goes to Supplemental Review. Residential-scale Solar Billing Plan / NEM-class applications carry a much smaller fee, commonly reported as $75 — verify current schedule in SCE's tariff schedules before filing, as fee schedules are revision-sensitive.
What is the Solar Billing Plan?
The Solar Billing Plan (SBP) is SCE's successor to Net Energy Metering 2.0 — California's implementation of the Net Billing Tariff. It applies to customers who applied for interconnection of an eligible renewable generating system after April 14, 2023, and compensates exported energy at hourly export prices rather than retail-rate netting. Systems must generally be sized to historical load, with an oversizing attestation available up to 150 percent of annual usage.
What portal does SCE use for interconnection applications?
Two systems, split by program. Solar Billing Plan and NEM-class applications go through SCE's Online Interconnection Application System, a PowerClerk-based portal. Rule 21 exporting and non-exporting generator applications outside the retail billing programs go through SCE's Grid Interconnection Processing Tool (GIPT).
Can I still file under NEM 2.0 with SCE?
No new NEM 2.0 applications — the submission deadline was April 14, 2023. SCE published a final-documentation deadline of April 14, 2026 for active NEM 2.0 projects, with a separate February 14, 2027 deadline for Virtual NEM and NEM-Aggregation projects. Projects that missed those milestones proceed under the Solar Billing Plan instead.
What inverter standards does SCE require?
SCE states that, per CPUC directive, inverters must comply with UL 1741 SB and Smart Inverter Phase 2 requirements as of August 29, 2023. Equipment should appear on the CEC certified equipment lists; non-listed equipment needs supporting documentation and can slow review.
Change log
- Page created from public sources.
Requirements drift. Get the changes.
When this page's change log gets a new entry, we'll email you that entry. Nothing else — see the privacy note.
Sources
- SCE — Interconnecting Generation under Rule 21 (accessed 2026-08-19)
- SCE — Solar Billing Plan FAQs (accessed 2026-08-19)
- SCE — Net Energy Metering FAQs (accessed 2026-08-19)
- SCE — Generator Interconnection Processes (accessed 2026-08-19)
- CPUC — Electric Rule 21: Generating Facility Interconnections (accessed 2026-08-19)
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