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Developers ask PSC to remove SOID prerequisite so community solar projects can enter interconnection queue sooner
Summary
Several community-solar trade groups told the Public Service Commission that subscriber-organization ID approvals are delaying interconnection and urged the commission to allow SOID and interconnection filings to proceed in parallel.
Several community-solar trade groups said Thursday the Subscriber Organization ID (SOID) approval requirement — currently a prerequisite in practice for filing interconnection applications — is an unnecessary administrative hold-up that adds months to project timelines.
Charlie Coggeshall and David Bugleman, representing the Coalition for Community Solar Access and allied trade groups, said the SOID step remains an artifact of an earlier pilot program and is not required by statute; their industry dataset showed SOID approvals took an average of 3½ months in 2024 and are now exceeding 4 months in 2025. Lightstar Renewables reported an average SOID wait of 128 days and a maximum of 219 days for projects in its portfolio.
Developers proposed three changes: allow applicants to file SOID and interconnection applications concurrently; accept site-control documentation as part of the interconnection application so utilities can screen speculative entries; or retain SOID review but streamline PSC processing with a standard checklist and faster staff turnarounds. Several developers said removing the SOID prerequisite alone would free up months of development time and better align Maryland with other states’ practices.
PSC staff and several commissioners asked clarifying questions about the components of an SOID review and the protections it supplies — for example, county siting, agricultural/forest protections and bonding obligations specific to community solar. Industry witnesses said they were not seeking to eliminate SOID protections but rather to change the timing so interconnection work can begin earlier. Utilities and Potomac Edison warned that removing SOID as an upfront filter could increase speculative applications and complicate queue integrity unless accompanied by concrete safeguards such as required proof of site control and improved public-queue transparency.
Why it matters: For community-solar projects facing HR1-related tax-credit deadlines, every month counts. Industry witnesses told the commission the SOID timing is a near-term “low-hanging fruit” that can be changed by administrative action if the commission and staff are aligned.
What’s next: Staff indicated it is open to proposals that preserve SOID safeguards while allowing parallel processing; stakeholders were invited to refine proposals in a work group and submit joint filings to the commission.
Quote: “Removing the SOID prerequisite requirement will free up months of development time, reduce administrative burdens for staff, and align Maryland with best practices across the country,” Charlie Coggeshall, Coalition for Community Solar Access.
Ending: The commission asked participating parties to return with more narrowly specified proposals and noted the option of using a work group to craft a coordinated approach.
