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Interconnection by electricity market and utility

Updated October 7, 2026 · Market steps checked against live sources where marked

Every solar, wind, or storage project needs permission to connect to the grid, and it is often the longest and most expensive step. Who you apply to depends on the project's size and where it is.

Two paths. Small projects that connect to local distribution lines (in Texas, generally under 10 MW and below 60 kV) apply to the local utility. Large projects that connect to high-voltage transmission apply through the regional grid operator's queue (ERCOT, SPP, MISO, and others) and work with the transmission owner.

By scale: Residential (rooftop, through your utility) · Commercial (business systems, larger utility review levels) · Utility-scale (grid operator queues and timelines below). Every utility's application links →

Texas utilities: where to apply

Your electric bill names your delivery utility. Distribution interconnection in Texas follows PUCT rules 25.211 and 25.212. The PUC is revising those rules in Project 54233 (a proposed new rule 25.210 for projects over 250 kW, with amendments to 25.211 and a replacement of 25.212); it began with a May 2025 discussion draft, moved to a formal proposal with reply comments filed in August 2025, and the docket carries its current status.

Oncor
ERCOT · Dallas–Fort Worth and much of North, Central, and West Texas		Applications through the eTRACK portal; separate forms for systems 500 kW and larger and for projects registering with ERCOT (under 10 MW, below 60 kV). Email: dg@oncor.comFor installers and developers500 kW+ application (PDF)ERCOT-registered DG and storage application (PDF)
CenterPoint Energy
ERCOT · Houston area		Application and study-fee addendum by mail, fax, or email. Email: Residential_DG@centerpointenergy.com or Commercial_DG@centerpointenergy.comCustomer generation
AEP Texas
ERCOT · South and West Texas		Follow AEP Texas’s DER interconnection process before installing. Email completed applications to der_aeptexas@aep.comDER interconnectionApplication form (PDF)
TNMP (Texas-New Mexico Power)
ERCOT · Parts of North-Central, Gulf Coast, and West Texas		We could not confirm a dedicated interconnection page. Contact TNMP; distribution interconnection follows PUCT rules 25.211 and 25.212.TNMP website (company home page)
El Paso Electric
Western grid (WECC) · El Paso area		Texas process for facilities up to 10 MW, with technical requirements and inspection before energizing.Texas interconnection up to 10 MW
Entergy Texas
MISO · Southeast Texas		Application package, interconnection agreement, W-9, and one-line diagram; utility-approved outside disconnect required. Large projects go through the MISO queue.Net metering and interconnectionMISO queue (below)
Xcel Energy (SPS)
SPP · Panhandle and South Plains		Large generators interconnect to the SPS transmission system through SPP’s queue; Xcel publishes separate guidelines for transmission-connected generation over 20 MW. We could not confirm a dedicated small-system page.Xcel Energy (company home page)SPP queue (below)
SWEPCO
SPP · Northeast Texas		Large projects go through SPP’s queue. We could not confirm a dedicated small-system page.SWEPCO (company home page)SPP queue (below)
City utilities and electric co-ops
Varies · Throughout Texas		Municipal utilities (for example Austin Energy and CPS Energy) and electric cooperatives set their own interconnection rules. Contact the utility named on the electric bill.

Transmission-level projects in ERCOT: file a generation interconnection request with ERCOT (see ERCOT below) and sign an interconnection agreement with the transmission owner. PUCT Rule 25.195 sets how much of the connection cost the transmission owner covers.

Interconnection timelines at a glance

How long the grid connection process takes in each market, checked against operator documents on October 24, 2026. Each market below has the stage-by-stage timeline with links. Study times are what the rules promise; real projects usually take longer.

MarketHow you applyWindow (as of October 24, 2026)On paper
ERCOTAny time (no window)Year-round18–30 months to commissioning (ERCOT staff)
SPPAnnual windowFirst new-process window opened Apr. 1, 2026~180 days study + 20-business-day decision
MISOAnnual cycle deadlineDPP-2026 closed Sep. 10, 2026; kickoff Dec. 9, 2026~505 days to agreement
PJMCycle deadlineCycle 1 closed Apr. 27, 2026; next cycle TBA~690 days per cycle
CAISOAnnual windowCluster 16: Oct. 1–15, 2026Into 2028 for Cluster 16
NYISOCluster window2026 window (preliminary: Jul. 31–Sep. 14)~19 months of tariff steps
ISO New EnglandCluster windowOct. 5–Nov. 19, 2026270-day study + restudy/facilities
Southeast utilitiesUtility cluster windowVaries by utilityFERC default: 150-day study
Western utilitiesUtility cluster windowVaries by utilityFERC default: 150-day study

What it takes in practice: across the U.S., the median project built in 2025 took 61 months from interconnection request to commercial operation, and the median request took 45 months to reach an interconnection agreement (Berkeley Lab, Queued Up 2026). Only 13% of capacity that requested interconnection from 2000 to 2020 was operating by the end of 2025; 75% had withdrawn (Berkeley Lab).

Dates to watch

Application windows, study milestones and expiring rules, each from the operator or agency document linked, checked Oct 17, 2026. Add them to your calendar (.ics), which updates when this page does.

DateWhereWhat
Oct 30, 2026CAISOCluster 15 interconnection facilities study: estimated end of the July 3 to October 30 window (CAISO notice)
Nov 19, 2026ISO New EnglandFirst regular cluster window closes (opened October 5); study work starts in early 2027 (ISO-NE memo)
Nov 20, 2026Southern Company2026 cluster study scheduled to finish (ran from June 23) (Southern Company stakeholder slides)
Dec 8, 2026SPPDISIS-2024-001 Phase 2 results listed for posting (SPP weekly study schedule)
Dec 9, 2026MISODPP-2026 cycle study kickoff (applications closed September 10, 2026) (MISO IPWG minutes)
Dec 30, 2026SPPDISIS-2024-001 projected completion (SPP weekly study schedule)
Jan 4, 2027PJMTransition Cycle 2 expected completion (Phase III began July 8, 2026) (PJM FERC report)
Jan 15, 2027Southern Company2026 cluster facilities study begins (runs to April 15, 2027) (Southern Company stakeholder slides)
Feb 1, 2027MISODPP-2023 Phase 2 listed for February 2027 (month only) (MISO DPP schedule)
Feb 15, 2027El Paso ElectricAnnual 45-day large-generator interconnection window opens (El Paso Electric tariff, Attachment M)
Apr 15, 2027Southern Company2026 cluster facilities study scheduled to finish (Southern Company stakeholder slides)
May 1, 2027MISODPP-2025 Phase 2 listed for May 2027 (month only) (MISO DPP schedule)
Aug 15, 2027Dominion Energy South CarolinaAnnual state-process interconnection window opens (runs to September 28) (Dominion Energy SC)
Sep 28, 2027Dominion Energy South CarolinaAnnual state-process interconnection window closes (Dominion Energy SC)
Mar 5, 2028Texas (TCEQ)Construction General Permit TXR150000 expires; TCEQ renews it (TCEQ)
Sep 1, 2029Texas (Legislature)Tax Code Chapter 312 abatements expire unless the Legislature renews them (Tax Code §312.006)
Just passed
  • Oct 15, 2026: CAISO, Cluster 16 application window closed (opened October 1) (CAISO)
  • Oct 9, 2026: Bonneville Power, Phase Two cluster study agreements tendered for the transition cluster (BPA notice)
  • Sep 28, 2026: PJM, Cycle 1 Phase I studies began (PJM IPS update)
  • Sep 10, 2026: MISO, DPP-2026 application deadline (MISO IPWG minutes)

Grid operators and regions

ERCOTSPPMISOPJMCAISONYISOISO New EnglandSoutheast bilateral (utility OATT)Western utilities (OATT; WEIM/EDAM)TVAIsolated system

ERCOT

Checked against live sources 2026-09-25 · States: Texas

  1. Applies to generation adding 10 MW or more at the point of interconnection (Planning Guide 5.1.1); under 10 MW goes through the TDSP distributed generation process, with an ERCOT INR still required for registration
  2. Submit the Generation Interconnection or Change Request (GINR) in RIOO-IS and pay the fees in the current ERCOT Fee Schedule (the interconnection and full-study fees were restructured in 2023 under NPRR1153, so older $5,000/$7,000 figures are out of date); ERCOT confirms completeness within 10 business days
  3. ERCOT Security Screening Study: up to 90 days, typically ~45
  4. Within 180 days of screening results, elect to proceed to the Full Interconnection Study (FIS) or the GINR is cancelled and you start over with a new fee
  5. FIS run by the host TSP (kick-off meeting within 10 business days of your election): steady-state N-1/N-2, dynamics, short circuit, reactive capability, and sub-synchronous resonance where flagged; 40–300 days depending on POI
  6. ERCOT accepts the FIS (10–15 days); within 180 days execute the Standard Generation Interconnection Agreement (SGIA) with the TSP or the GINR is cancelled. All SGIAs signed on or after Jan 1, 2026 use the Nov 6, 2025 form approved in PUCT Project 58211
  7. Cost shift for SGIAs executed after Dec 31, 2025: under PUCT Rule 25.195 the TSP funds transmission interconnection facilities only up to a CPI-indexed allowance ($14.408 million for 2026 at 138 kV and below; above 138 kV the rule set an initial $22.5 million, also CPI-adjusted each year); the developer pays the rest. Earlier SGIAs had the TSP fund all of it, with deposits refunded at COD
  8. Registration and modeling: Resource Asset Registration Form (RARF), QSE designation, ERCOT-polled settlement meter, ICCP data link, PUCT registration for most Resource Entities
  9. Energization, synchronization, and commissioning under the ERCOT New Generator Commissioning Checklist, then commercial operations
  10. Overall expectation for ≥10 MW: roughly 18–30 months from GINR to commissioning, before equipment and construction delays (consultancy estimate, not an ERCOT commitment)

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: No application window: ERCOT takes generation requests year-round, and each project moves through the process on its own (ERCOT staff presentation). About 4.0 GW of new generation was expected to energize in the fourth quarter of 2026 (ERCOT Board update, June 2026).

  1. Up to 180 daysTo elect a Full Interconnection Study after the screening study results, or the request is cancelled (ERCOT staff presentation)
  2. 10 business daysFor ERCOT to name the lead transmission service provider once you elect the full study (ERCOT staff presentation)
  3. Every 3 monthsERCOT runs a stability assessment for projects planning to synchronize 5 to 7 months later; a pending rule change (PGRR146) would make it every 4 months; ROS recommended approval Aug. 6, 2026 and forwarded it to TAC Oct. 1, 2026, with a recommended effective date of Sep. 1, 2027 (ERCOT staff presentation; PGRR146)
  4. 180 daysAfter ERCOT approves initial synchronization to complete all conditions for commercial operation (PGRR103, effective Nov. 1, 2023) (ERCOT PGRR103)

Start to finish: ERCOT staff put the process at 18 to 30 months for generation of 10 MW or more and 8 to 12 months under 10 MW, before construction or supply delays (ERCOT, Oct. 2024). Berkeley Lab found ERCOT requests reach an interconnection agreement in about 24 months on average, faster than requests in the FERC-regulated markets (Queued Up 2026).

ERCOT Resource Integration pagePUCT 25.195 allowance ($14M at ≤138 kV, $22.5M above)NPRR1153 fee restructuring (PUCT approval)Batch Zero for large loads, effective July 11, 2026ERCOT Planning Guide Section 5 (current)RAPID Toolkit: Texas ERCOT interconnection (180-day rules)PUCT Rule 25.195 cost allowance for 2026

SPP

Checked against live sources 2026-09-25 · States: Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming

  1. SPP replaced its old DISIS cluster process with the Consolidated Planning Process (CPP), accepted by FERC and effective March 1, 2026. Transmission planning and generator interconnection now run as one cycle
  2. Annual application window, December 15 to February 15 once the transition ends; the first window under the new process opened April 1, 2026. Applications need complete technical models, 100% site control, and financial security
  3. Annual Interconnection Cluster Study (about 180 days) with a single decision point
  4. Upfront, standardized GRID-C charges for network upgrades instead of open-ended cost allocation, then the Generator Interconnection Agreement
  5. Commissioning, model validation, and commercial operation

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: SPP's new Consolidated Planning Process took effect March 1, 2026 (SPP). Its first cluster window opened April 1, 2026; check SPP's weekly study schedule for its current status. Older DISIS clusters are still finishing: DISIS-2024-001 Phase 2 results are listed for posting December 8, 2026, with projected completion December 30, 2026 (SPP weekly schedule).

  1. Dec 15 to Feb 15Annual application window once the transition ends (SPP tariff filing, p. 28)
  2. 60 daysReview period to fix application deficiencies (10 business days to cure each notice) (SPP tariff filing, p. 29; SPP compliance filing)
  3. Up to 180 daysInterconnection Cluster Study after the review period closes (SPP compliance filing)
  4. 20 business daysSingle Decision Point after study results post (SPP compliance filing)
  5. Up to 60 + 60 daysRestudy, then facilities study, for projects at unplanned locations (SPP tariff filing, pp. 31–33)
  6. 7 yearsMaximum expected in-service date from the request (up to 10 with agreement) (SPP compliance filing)

Start to finish: SPP told FERC the new process should take about 180 days from the close of the application window to a signed agreement, versus an expected minimum of 12 months under the old process (SPP filing, p. 20). Not yet proven: the first cycle is still underway.

SPP generator interconnectionFERC order accepting SPP CPP (White & Case summary)

MISO

Checked against live sources 2026-09-25 · States: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin

  1. Apply in the Definitive Planning Phase (DPP) cycle: the DPP-2026 application deadline was September 10, 2026, and that cycle kicks off December 9, 2026. MISO applies regional queue caps, and some regions (East/ITC) have already hit their 2026 cap
  2. At application: non-refundable D1 fee ($7,600), D2 study deposit, M2 milestone of $8,000 per MW (cash or letter of credit), and M1 technical data. Site control is due at least 90 days before DPP Phase I kick-off
  3. DPP Phase I, II, and III system impact studies with decision points between phases; penalty-free withdrawal only if upgrade costs rise past set thresholds, otherwise part of M2 is at risk
  4. Generator Interconnection Agreement tendered and executed with MISO and the transmission owner, with further milestone payments
  5. Expedited Resource Addition Study (ERAS) is a separate fast path limited to projects meeting a load-serving entity reliability need

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: The DPP-2026 cycle's application deadline was September 10, 2026, with study kickoff set for December 9, 2026 (MISO IPWG minutes). Earlier cycles run years behind: DPP-2023 Phase 2 is listed for February 2027 and DPP-2025 Phase 2 for May 2027 (MISO DPP schedule). The ERAS fast track's caps of 50 load-serving entity and 10 independent producer projects have been met (MISO IPWG minutes).

  1. ~140 daysDPP Phase 1 (MISO DPP schedule)
  2. 15 business daysDecision Point 1 (MISO DPP schedule)
  3. ~80 daysDPP Phase 2 (MISO DPP schedule)
  4. 15 business daysDecision Point 2 (MISO DPP schedule)
  5. ~135 daysDPP Phase 3, then the Generator Interconnection Agreement (MISO DPP schedule)
  6. ~90 daysERAS fast track: from study kickoff to agreement, for qualifying projects (FERC order on ERAS)

Start to finish: On paper, about 505 days from cycle start to a signed agreement (MISO DPP schedule). In practice the DPP-2021 cycle, with a July 2021 deadline, was still finishing in 2026 (MISO DPP schedule).

MISO generator interconnection (fees, deadline)MISO GI studies

PJM

Checked against live sources 2026-09-25 · States: Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

  1. New requests go through annual Cycles under PJM Manual 14H. Cycle 1 closed April 27, 2026; the next Cycle window is announced by PJM. A separate Expedited Interconnection Track exists for qualifying projects ($15,000/MW readiness deposit plus a $500,000 study deposit, both at risk once the application is valid)
  2. Application: executed Application and Studies Agreement, site control evidence, study-ready PSS/E power-flow and dynamic models, a tiered study deposit ($75,000–$400,000 by size), and Readiness Deposit No. 1 ($4,000/MW)
  3. Phase I system impact study, then Decision Point I: withdraw or post Readiness Deposit No. 2 (a share of the Phase I network upgrade cost)
  4. Phase II system impact study and Decision Point II (PSCAD/EMT models due at DP2 for bulk power system projects), then Phase III and Decision Point III
  5. Final agreement negotiation: Generation Interconnection Agreement and construction service agreements, then interconnection facilities, model validation, and commercial operation

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: Cycle 1 closed April 27, 2026; PJM accepted 715 projects (201.5 GW) on August 3, 2026 (PJM). Cycle 1 Phase I started September 28, 2026 (PJM IPS update), and PJM expects Cycle 1 to finish in 2028 (PJM). Transition Cycle 2 entered Phase III July 8, 2026, with completion expected January 4, 2027 (PJM FERC report).

  1. At least 90 daysApplication review (PJM training, Feb. 2026)
  2. ~120 daysPhase I system impact study (PJM training)
  3. 30 daysEach Decision Point (I, II, III) (PJM Manual 14H)
  4. ~180 daysPhase II system impact study (PJM training)
  5. ~180 daysPhase III system impact study (PJM training)
  6. ~60 daysFinal agreement negotiation (runs with Decision Point III) (PJM training)
  7. ~300 daysExpedited Interconnection Track, effective July 31, 2026, for qualifying projects of 250 MW or more (PJM EIT presentation)

Start to finish: About 690 days per cycle on paper (PJM training); PJM says agreements will take one to two years (PJM Inside Lines).

PJM service requests and Cycle timelinePJM Manual 14H (Cycle process)PJM Cycle 1 deadline announcement

CAISO

Checked against live sources 2026-09-25 · States: California, Nevada

  1. Cluster 16 application window: October 1 to October 15, 2026 (5:00 p.m. Pacific), through the Grid Resource Interconnection Portal. Treat October 8 as the practical deadline, since later filings may not get a chance to cure deficiencies. Distribution-level (WDAT) windows run earlier by utility
  2. Application fee $5,000 plus study and site-control deposits; site exclusivity and a technically valid model package required
  3. Intake scoring and zonal screening under the Interconnection Process Enhancements (IPE 2023 and IPE 5.0): commercial interest (including load-serving entity interest), project viability, and system need decide which requests enter the study
  4. Cluster study: system impact and facilities, with network upgrade allocation; Generator Interconnection Agreement and financial security postings
  5. Deliverability allocation (Full Capacity Deliverability Status is needed to sell Resource Adequacy) and New Resource Implementation to COD

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: The Cluster 16 application window was October 1 to 15, 2026 (CAISO; CAISO notice). Cluster 15 is in its facilities study, estimated July 3 to October 30, 2026 (CAISO notice).

  1. 2 weeksCluster 16 application window, Oct. 1–15, 2026 (CAISO)
  2. Oct. 2026–Jan. 2027Intake review, notification and auction for ties, and data validation (CAISO)
  3. 150 daysPhase I cluster study, January to June 2027 (CAISO)
  4. 180 daysReassessment, July 2027 to January 2028 (CAISO)
  5. 120 daysPhase II facilities study after the study agreement is signed (CAISO)
  6. Up to 60 daysAgreement negotiation, after the utility drafts it within 30 days (CAISO)

Start to finish: For Cluster 16, the published schedule runs from the October 2026 window into 2028 before agreements (CAISO). Berkeley Lab found only 8% of CAISO projects requested from 2000 to 2020 reached operation (Queued Up 2026).

CAISO interconnection request and studyCluster 16 window and October 8 cure date

NYISO

Checked against live sources 2026-09-25 · States: New York

  1. The old Class Year process has been replaced by a cluster study under FERC Order 2023 (transition cluster began August 1, 2024). An optional, rolling pre-application process is available
  2. Next cluster (the 2026 Cluster): NYISO announces the window date; the window is expected to be about 45 days. Application fee plus a study deposit scaled to project size, site control, and a physical-infeasibility screen
  3. Phase 1 cluster study, then Phase 2 including deliverability, with decision points and additional deposits
  4. Interconnection agreement with NYISO and the connecting transmission owner, security postings
  5. Commissioning, market registration, and commercial operation; ORES siting runs in parallel for projects of 25 MW or more

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: NYISO's preliminary schedule set the 2026 Cluster window for July 31 to September 14, 2026 (NYISO notice); confirm the final dates on NYISO's interconnections page.

  1. 45 daysApplication window (NYISO tariff)
  2. 70 daysCustomer engagement window (NYISO tariff)
  3. 5 business daysPhase 1 entry decision (NYISO tariff)
  4. 190 daysPhase 1 study (NYISO tariff)
  5. 270 daysPhase 2 study (including deliverability) (NYISO tariff)

Start to finish: The tariff steps alone add up to about 19 months before final decisions and the interconnection agreement (our arithmetic from the NYISO tariff).

NYISO interconnectionsNYISO cluster study transition

ISO New England

Checked against live sources 2026-09-25 · States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont

  1. First full cluster request window: October 5 to November 19, 2026. Requests are accepted only during a window
  2. Complete request package with site control and financial requirements; ISO validates the request, then a customer engagement window and cluster study scoping meeting follow
  3. Cluster study of all requests together (thermal, voltage, stability, short circuit), with withdrawal penalties; some clusters are enabled by a Cluster Enabling Transmission Upgrade (CETU)
  4. Interconnection agreement with ISO New England and the transmission owner
  5. Capacity market qualification (the market is moving to a prompt/seasonal design) and commercial operation

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: The first regular cluster window is open October 5 to November 19, 2026, with study work starting in early 2027 (ISO-NE). ISO-NE has not accepted new interconnection requests since June 13, 2024 (ISO-NE).

  1. 45 daysCluster request window (ISO-NE)
  2. 60 daysCustomer engagement window (ISO-NE)
  3. 270 daysCluster study (FERC allowed ISO-NE more than the standard 150) (FERC order)
  4. 90 daysCluster restudy, if needed (FERC order)
  5. 90 or 180 daysFacilities study (can be waived) (FERC order)
  6. 60 daysInterconnection agreement negotiation (ISO-NE)

Start to finish: The transitional cluster took about 10 months of study, and its agreements are due October 20, 2026 (ISO-NE). Berkeley Lab found 18% of ISO-NE projects requested from 2000 to 2020 reached operation (Queued Up 2026).

ISO-NE interconnection process guideISO-NE cluster window notice (Sept 2026)

Southeast bilateral (utility OATT)

Steps from our notes; timeline checked against live sources 2026-10-07. Confirm with the operator or utility. · States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina

  1. Interconnection request to the serving utility under its FERC-jurisdictional OATT (LGIP or SGIP), filed via OASIS
  2. Cluster or serial study per the utility’s Order 2023 procedures: system impact, then facilities
  3. Interconnection agreement (LGIA/SGIA) with security postings
  4. Transmission service request if the offtaker is elsewhere
  5. Commissioning and commercial operation; state PSC certificate may run in parallel

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: Southern Company's 2026 cluster window ran February 17 to April 3, 2026; its cluster study runs June 23 to November 20, 2026, and the facilities study January 15 to April 15, 2027 (Southern Company). Duke Energy's 2026 Resource Solicitation Cluster opened July 15, 2026, for RFP bidders only (Duke Energy). Dominion Energy South Carolina's state-process window runs August 15 to September 28 each year (Dominion Energy SC).

  1. 45 daysCluster request window (FERC default) (FERC pro forma LGIP)
  2. 60 daysCustomer engagement window (FERC pro forma LGIP)
  3. 150 daysCluster study (FERC pro forma LGIP)
  4. 150 daysCluster restudy, if needed (FERC pro forma LGIP)
  5. 90 or 180 daysFacilities study, depending on the cost accuracy the developer requests (Order No. 2023, Federal Register)

Start to finish: These are FERC's default deadlines; each utility's tariff can differ, and late studies carry penalties of $1,000 to $2,500 per business day (FERC pro forma LGIP). Check the utility's OASIS for its window.

Start here (ferc.gov)

Western utilities (OATT; WEIM/EDAM)

Steps from our notes; timeline checked against live sources 2026-10-07. Confirm with the operator or utility. · States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

  1. Interconnection request to the transmission provider under its OATT LGIP/SGIP via OASIS
  2. Cluster study under Order 2023 procedures with deposits and site control
  3. Facilities study and upgrade cost allocation
  4. Interconnection agreement and security
  5. Market participation through the Western Energy Imbalance Market or Extended Day-Ahead Market where the utility participates

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: Bonneville Power Administration posted updated Phase One reports for its transition cluster on September 25, 2026, with Phase Two cluster study agreements to be tendered October 9, 2026 (BPA notice), well behind its March 2025 plan (BPA timeline). El Paso Electric opens a 45-day window each year on February 15 (EPE tariff).

  1. 45 daysCluster request window (FERC default) (FERC pro forma LGIP)
  2. 60 daysCustomer engagement window (FERC pro forma LGIP)
  3. 150 daysCluster study (FERC pro forma LGIP)
  4. 90 or 180 daysFacilities study, depending on the cost accuracy the developer requests (Order No. 2023, Federal Register)

Start to finish: Berkeley Lab found non-RTO Western projects tend to reach agreements faster than in the big markets, but only 10% of those requested from 2000 to 2020 reached operation (Queued Up 2026).

Start here (westerneim.com)

TVA

Steps from our notes; timeline checked against live sources 2026-10-07. Confirm with the operator or utility. · States: Kentucky, Tennessee

  1. Interconnection request under TVA’s generator interconnection procedures
  2. Feasibility and system impact studies
  3. Facilities study and upgrade cost estimate
  4. Interconnection agreement with TVA, plus a power purchase or transmission service arrangement
  5. Commissioning and commercial operation

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: TVA uses separate large (over 20 MW) and small generator procedures plus an expedited study path, and began a programmatic environmental review of its interconnection program in July 2026, with a draft tentatively due fall 2026 (Federal Register; TVA).

Start to finish: TVA does not publish a single target timeline we could confirm; ask TVA for the current cluster schedule.

Start here (tva.com)

Isolated system

Steps from our notes; timeline checked against live sources 2026-10-07. Confirm with the operator or utility. · States: Alaska, Hawaii

  1. Interconnection request to the island or regional utility under its tariff
  2. Interconnection requirements study (hosting capacity, stability)
  3. Interconnection agreement and utility-built facilities
  4. Commissioning and commercial operation

Timeline

As of October 24, 2026: Hawaiian Electric connects large projects through competitive solicitations (Hawaiian Electric). Alaska's Railbelt is moving to interconnection standards set by the Railbelt Reliability Council (RRC standards).

  1. ~11 monthsHawaii: request for proposals through selection (Hawaiian Electric)
  2. ~13 monthsHawaii: power purchase agreement, PUC approval, and Interconnection Requirements Study (Hawaiian Electric)
  3. 1 to 9 yearsHawaii: construction to operation, depending on the project (Hawaiian Electric)

Start here (hawaiianelectric.com)

Check before you file. Queue rules, fees, and windows change often. Confirm on the operator's or utility's site. This page is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Found an error? Let us know.

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