Installers urge faster, clearer process for meter-socket adapters as IOUs set 20-business-day target
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Summary
Installers at a CPUC workshop said MSA application and installation processes are slow, opaque and harming customers and contractors; IOUs proposed a 20-business-day target in upcoming Rule 31 tariff filings, while some utilities reported faster averages and automation.
Installers and manufacturers pressed California Public Utilities Commission staff on Monday to speed and simplify the process for meter socket adapter (MSA) installations, saying long lead times and poor communications are eroding customer savings and contractor cash flow.
Maureen, a third-party installer, told the workshop the industry is “seeing today an average 40 day lead time for MSA installation,” and that customers’ permission-to-operate (PTO) often is blocked until the MSA process is complete. “This extra over a month… the customer loses savings,” she said, and installers face cash-flow strain. The workshop included contractor testimony that some IOU portals leave installations stuck in “pending” status even after installers report completion.
Bronte Payne of Sunrun described problems specific to new construction, saying utilities often require meter numbers and electric service agreement (ESA) numbers that are not available early in the building process. She asked that new-construction applicants be allowed to submit using only an address and that MSA installation be completed no later than the meter set so final inspections and escrow closings are not delayed.
Installers also urged improved portal automation, dedicated phone support, timely written explanations when an MSA fails inspection, and clearer statewide guidance for technicians. One contractor said technicians sometimes arrive unannounced and in one reported case recommended cutting a meter tag—advice the installer said was unlawful—heightening calls for stronger field training and communication.
IOU staff responded with a mix of process commitments and data. PG&E said it has installed more than 19,000 MSAs this year and has been able to meet an internal 20-business-day target in most scenarios. San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) said its DIIS interconnection portal has been automated since 2024, supports address-only submissions for new construction, averages review times within three business days and has averaged about 14 business days for installations; SDG&E also warned of contractors cutting locks and said it may tie PTO to correct installation order to protect safety.
The CPUC’s staff and IOU representatives said the utilities plan to file Rule 31 tariffs and associated advice letters by mid-December that will include a 20-business-day target; stakeholders pressed for stronger service-level guarantees and clearer portal timelines. The workshop concluded with staff promising follow-up on SCE-specific questions and with IOUs and vendors agreeing to continue technical coordination.
The CPUC workshop did not adopt formal rules at the meeting; IOU filings due with the commission will formalize any timeline commitments.