Con Edison and National Grid New York solar interconnection projects follow the same state procedure, but they do not use one utility workflow. The New York SIR controls the common steps. Each utility adds its own portal, technical records, system data, and project communications.
Direct answer. First identify the electric utility on the customer bill. Then choose the New York SIR path from alternating-current capacity and project facts. Con Edison accepts distributed-generation applications through PowerClerk. National Grid serves Upstate New York electric customers and applies its own utility records. Keep either portal entry aligned with the SIR application, drawings, equipment, testing, meter work, and formal acceptance.
This guide is for New York solar installers, permit coordinators, and commercial project teams. It covers retail distributed generation and energy storage through 5 MW AC. Transmission and some wholesale cases can follow a different route.
Date check. This guide reflects public sources reviewed on September 26, 2026. Confirm the current SIR, portal prompts, utility forms, and project instructions before submission.
Which electric utility serves the New York project?
Use the current electric bill as the controlling utility record. A mailing address, county name, or gas bill is not enough. New York has investor-owned utilities, municipal systems, and Long Island service arrangements.
The New York Department of Public Service electric utility list names both Consolidated Edison Company of New York and National Grid. It also links a county service-territory reference. That reference helps with early routing, but the electric account still controls.
The Con Edison company profile identifies New York City and Westchester County as its service area. National Grid electric projects use its Upstate New York system. National Grid gas service elsewhere does not make National Grid the electric interconnection utility.
Ask for these records before design starts:
- A complete current electric bill.
- The service address and billing account name.
- The meter number and electric rate or service classification.
- Any existing generation or storage project number.
- The utility contact or portal record, if one already exists.
Stop if the bill and proposal identify different utilities. A polished plan set submitted to the wrong utility does not preserve queue position.
The solar interconnection application guide explains the national approval sequence. This page focuses on the New York split between statewide rules and utility implementation.
What do Con Edison and National Grid New York solar interconnection rules share?
The current New York Standardized Interconnection Requirements became effective on February 9, 2026. It covers distributed generation, energy storage, and hybrid projects through 5 MW AC on utility distribution systems.
The SIR creates two main application processes:
- Systems rated 50 kW or less use the process in Section I.B.
- Systems above 50 kW through 5 MW use the process in Section I.C.
The document also includes exceptions. Certified inverter systems above 50 kW through 300 kW may qualify for the expedited process when the stated conditions are met. Underground secondary network projects can need added review at either size.
Both utilities must apply the current SIR, but the SIR does not erase local system conditions. It specifically allows utility technical specifications. Those specifications can affect diagrams, settings, protection, testing, and available connection options.
The SIR also requires electronic filing through an Interconnection Online Application Portal, or IOAP. Hard-copy, email, and mailed applications do not replace that filing route under the current procedure.
Think of the SIR as the shared process contract. The utility portal is the project record. Utility specifications explain how the project must connect to that utility system.
How do the 50 kW and 5 MW thresholds change the route?
Capacity changes the process, fees, screens, and document burden. Use the SIR rating basis and the utility application. Do not route a project from module nameplate capacity alone.
| Project condition | Shared New York route | Main first review | Likely record burden |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kW or less | Section I.B | Completeness, technical requirements, and possible approval | Application, site plan, diagram, equipment evidence, testing record |
| Above 50 kW through 300 kW, eligible certified inverter | Possible expedited Section I.B path | Utility eligibility decision | Current UL 1741 SB evidence and utility settings |
| Above 50 kW through 5 MW | Section I.C | Completeness, then screens A through F | Application, site control when required, detailed design, studies, testing |
| Underground secondary network | Utility-specific added review | Network feasibility and reliability | Exact service configuration, control, protection, and utility data |
| Above 5 MW | Outside the ordinary SIR limit | Utility or NYISO route | Jurisdiction-specific package |
| Wholesale or federal-jurisdiction case | SIR or NYISO depends on facts | Jurisdiction determination | Utility and NYISO records as directed |
The SIR charges no application fee for systems at 50 kW or less. It does not promise a cost-free project. Dedicated transformers, safety equipment, meters, or other utility work can still create project-specific costs.
For systems above 50 kW through 5 MW, the applicant can request a pre-application report. The fee is $750 and the report is nonbinding. The utility has 10 business days after receiving a complete request and payment.
The $750 can credit the application fee when a formal application follows within 15 business days. Missing that window means the pre-application fee does not receive that credit.
Capacity is only one routing input. Export mode, existing generation, storage, service configuration, certification, and proposed point of common coupling also matter.
What is the Con Edison interconnection workflow?
The current Con Edison distributed-generation application page directs all applications to PowerClerk. It separates small, large, utility-process, and NYISO routes.
For retail projects, its public routing table states:
- Systems at 50 kW or less use the Small DG PowerClerk route and the SIR.
- Systems above 50 kW through 5 MW use the Large DG PowerClerk route and the SIR.
- Some 2 MW through 5 MW wholesale projects can use the SIR or NYISO route.
- Projects above 5 MW use a utility or NYISO process outside the ordinary SIR.
The page also routes optional pre-application requests through the large-project portal. It tells applicants to select New - All Other Requests for that request type.
Con Edison publishes a document checklist, diagram checklist, testing records, cost information, and a March 2026 pre-CESIR guide. Use the current links from the application page. Saved local copies can become stale.
The practical Con Edison sequence is:
- Confirm the account, meter, site, capacity, operating mode, and jurisdiction.
- Select the correct PowerClerk program.
- Build the application and drawing package from one controlled data register.
- Resolve completeness comments and technical screens.
- Complete supplemental review or CESIR when required.
- Construct the utility-accepted design and local permitted work.
- Complete testing, inspection, meter work, and final acceptance.
PowerClerk is not a document drop box. Its field values form part of the controlled project record. A correct three-line does not cure an incorrect capacity, account, or equipment model in the portal.
What is the National Grid Upstate New York workflow?
National Grid applies the same New York SIR to eligible Upstate New York distribution projects. Its current public solar guidance confirms that an interconnection agreement is required. It also says that the installer usually handles the application.
The National Grid commercial solar guidance separates utility approval from installation. It directs the installer and National Grid to coordinate before construction and energization.
National Grid also publishes a New York System Data Portal. It includes feeder, substation, voltage, loading, and available hosting-capacity information. The data supports site screening, but it does not reserve capacity or approve a project.
Use this National Grid sequence:
- Confirm that the bill is for National Grid electric service in Upstate New York.
- Obtain the current IOAP route and utility instructions from National Grid.
- Check the current SIR and utility electric specifications.
- Review system data before freezing capacity or point of connection.
- Submit a coordinated application, design package, and equipment record.
- Respond to screens, study requests, and project-specific requirements.
- Build only from the accepted record.
- Complete inspection, testing, meter activity, and formal acceptance.
The public Solar Hub page does not identify every portal screen or submission field. Do not copy Con Edison PowerClerk instructions into a National Grid project. Obtain the live National Grid workflow for that account and preserve the portal confirmation.
The National Grid New York transmission page identifies Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation as its New York subsidiary for transmission assets. A retail distribution applicant should not jump to the wholesale page merely because that legal name appears on a record.
Con Edison vs National Grid NY Interconnection Routing Matrix
The matrix separates the statewide rule from each utility implementation. It is a preparation aid. The utility decides the actual project route.
| Decision | New York SIR rule | Con Edison implementation | National Grid implementation | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utility identity | Apply to the serving electric utility | Confirm Con Edison account and meter | Confirm National Grid electric account and Upstate service | Current electric bill |
| Filing method | Electronic IOAP filing required | Correct PowerClerk program | Current National Grid IOAP route | Portal receipt and project ID |
| Small-project threshold | 50 kW or less | Small DG PowerClerk | Utility small-project route | AC rating basis |
| Large-project threshold | Above 50 kW through 5 MW | Large DG PowerClerk | Utility large-project route | Capacity and service record |
| Pre-application | Optional, $750, nonbinding | Large portal request type | Current utility request route | Request, payment, issued report |
| Early capacity check | Informational only | Con Edison hosting-capacity resources | NY System Data Portal | Dated map export and assumptions |
| Initial screens | SIR screens A through F | Utility result in project record | Utility result in project record | Written screen results |
| Supplemental review | Applicant option after failed screens | Utility invoice and result | Utility invoice and result | Authorization, payment, analysis |
| CESIR | Detailed utility study when required | Con Edison CESIR process and guides | National Grid CESIR process and utility records | Study scope, fee, complete input package |
| Drawings | Appendix F plus utility requirements | Con Edison checklist and project comments | National Grid specifications and project comments | Controlled site plan and diagrams |
| Construction | Build accepted design | PowerClerk and project correspondence control | Utility project correspondence controls | Accepted issue and change log |
| Final operation | Testing before parallel operation and acceptance | Utility testing, meter work, acceptance | Utility testing, meter work, acceptance | Test record and formal letter |
The most dangerous row is utility identity. A project can sit near a territorial boundary or use National Grid gas service with another electric provider. Start from the electric bill.
What happens during preliminary and supplemental screening?
The large-project path begins with administrative completeness. The utility has 10 business days after the application and fee to notify the applicant. A completeness notice is not engineering approval.
After Step 3, the utility performs preliminary screens A through F. The SIR gives 15 business days for that analysis and written results.
Passing all relevant screens can lead to an executed standardized contract when no upgrades are required. A failed screen opens several choices. The applicant can request a results meeting, choose supplemental screening, proceed to CESIR, or withdraw.
Supplemental screening uses screens G through I. The published fee is $2,500 and is nonrefundable. Actual utility cost can reconcile up to $5,000.
The utility has 20 business days for supplemental screening after authorization and payment, absent extraordinary circumstances. That period does not include every applicant decision or later project step.
| Screen result | Applicant decision | Next record |
|---|---|---|
| Pass, no upgrades | Proceed to contract | Executed SIR contract |
| Fail, modification may help | Request results meeting | Agreed design change or next-path notice |
| More analysis may resolve risk | Authorize supplemental screening | Fee record and written screen results |
| Full study needed | Authorize CESIR | Complete study package and fee |
| Project no longer works | Withdraw | Queue and cost closeout record |
Track every response deadline in the utility portal and project register. The SIR can remove an application from the queue when required decisions, information, or payment arrive late.
The interconnection rejection reasons guide covers recurring completeness and technical failures. Use it as a preflight check, not as a substitute for the New York screen result.
When does a New York project move to CESIR?
CESIR means Coordinated Electric System Interconnection Review. It examines how the proposed project affects the utility system and whether the design meets applicable criteria.
A project can move to CESIR after preliminary or supplemental screens. Network conditions, system impacts, or applicant choice can trigger that route. The SIR also warns that underground secondary network projects may require CESIR.
Before CESIR starts, the applicant must provide a complete updated design package. The package also includes site-control evidence, responsible contacts, the fee, and any requested studies.
Requested studies can address fault current, relay coordination, flicker, voltage drop, and harmonics. Relay, communication, and controller set points can also be required.
The utility may require a three-line diagram for three-phase PV and battery projects. That diagram must show wiring at the point of common coupling. It must also represent the existing utility service exactly.
The SIR gives the utility 60 business days for CESIR after authorization, payment, and complete information, absent extraordinary circumstances. The parties may agree to 40 added business days when no other application is harmed.
Do not convert those periods into a 60-day interconnection promise. CESIR starts only after the defined inputs are complete. Construction, equipment procurement, testing, meter work, and acceptance follow later.
The three-phase commercial solar interconnection guide explains the service and protection data behind a useful three-line package.
Which drawings and equipment records belong in the package?
Appendix F is the statewide checklist. Utility forms and project comments add detail. Build one package index that identifies the source and revision of every record.
For solar PV and battery applications, Appendix F calls for a single-line drawing that meets its requirements. Other generation types require a three-line. A utility can still require a three-line for a three-phase solar or battery design.
The package should reconcile these items:
| Record | Values that must agree | Frequent conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Electric bill | Customer, address, account, meter | Proposal uses a different site identity |
| Portal application | Capacity, technology, equipment, operating mode | Portal contains an earlier model |
| Site plan | Service, meter, equipment, access, property context | Equipment moved after submission |
| Single-line or three-line | Sources, conductors, protection, disconnects, PCC | Ratings differ from equipment schedule |
| Equipment evidence | Exact manufacturer, model, rating, certification | Family cut sheet replaces exact model proof |
| Existing-system record | Capacity, equipment, connection, project ID | Addition shown as a new standalone system |
| Storage record | Power, energy, control mode, charging source | Battery behavior differs across records |
| Test procedure | Device checks, settings, witness steps | Generic procedure omits project controls |
Appendix F also asks for a certificate of compliance referencing UL 1741. Power-limited equipment can need added manufacturer evidence. Use the current checklist for the exact project.
The UL 1741 SB glossary entry explains certification context. The IEEE 1547 guide covers the broader distributed-resource performance framework.
Certification does not prove the installed settings. Record the utility-required profile, device firmware, set points, and commissioning result where the project requires them.
Build one application data register before portal entry
A data register gives the team one checked value for each portal field. It also identifies the source of that value. Build it before anyone enters the utility portal.
Create one row for every controlled fact. Include the customer name, service address, account, meter, utility, and service classification. Add existing generation, proposed PV capacity, inverter output, storage power, and storage energy.
Then record the electrical facts. Include voltage, phase, connection method, point of common coupling, main-device rating, protective devices, disconnects, and control equipment. Identify the exact drawing sheet for each fact.
Equipment rows need more than a manufacturer name. Record the complete model, quantity, rating, certification source, cut-sheet revision, and procurement status. A family data sheet can hide a suffix that changes the submitted rating.
The register also needs an owner and status. The customer can own account data. The designer can own drawing values. The installer can own field verification. The utility remains the source for service and project decisions.
Use four statuses: verified, pending, conflict, and revised. A pending value should never become an assumed portal answer. A conflict should stop submission until the team identifies the controlling record.
After portal entry, export or capture the submitted values. Compare that record against the register and current drawing issue. Repeat the comparison after each correction or equipment change.
This register protects both utility workflows. Con Edison portal fields stay aligned with the plan set. National Grid application records stay distinct from Con Edison forms while using the same controlled design basis.
The register also shortens final closeout. The field team can compare installed nameplates and locations against a known list. The applicant can then update affected records before testing, rather than discovering the conflict during utility review.
How do network and three-phase conditions change the design?
New York network systems deserve early attention. The SIR states that underground secondary networks can create unique design and reliability problems. Some projects may need added analysis, and some may not be approved.
This issue often matters in dense Con Edison territory. It can also matter anywhere the actual service configuration differs from a simple radial assumption.
Do not infer network type from the building size. Obtain the utility service record. Then show the existing service accurately on the diagram.
For a three-phase project, collect:
- Nominal service voltage and phase.
- Transformer and service configuration, when provided.
- Existing switchgear and protective-device data.
- Proposed point of common coupling.
- Phase arrangement and conductor paths.
- Existing generation and storage.
- Export-control sensing and controlled devices.
- Required relay, communication, and controller settings.
An export-control label does not settle network feasibility. The utility still evaluates the control method, failure response, service topology, and system conditions.
The solar storage plan-set guide covers battery diagrams and control records. The NEC 705 glossary entry gives a concise electrical-code reference for interconnected sources.
Which New York fees and timelines can be stated safely?
Only quote a fee or period with its scope. The current SIR provides component deadlines. It does not publish one end-to-end completion promise.
| Component | Published SIR amount or period | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Application at 50 kW or less | No application fee | Section I.B applications |
| Small-project original review | 10 business days | Completeness, technical requirements, and possible approval |
| Missing small-project information | 30 business days | Applicant response before removal |
| Optional pre-application report | $750 | Nonbinding report for large-project path |
| Pre-application report delivery | 10 business days | After complete form and payment |
| Large-project completeness review | 10 business days | Administrative completeness only |
| Preliminary screens A through F | 15 business days | After Step 3 completion |
| Supplemental screening fee | $2,500 | Nonrefundable, with later cost reconciliation |
| Supplemental cost ceiling | $5,000 | Actual screening cost reconciliation |
| Supplemental screening | 20 business days | After authorization and fee, absent extraordinary circumstances |
| CESIR | 60 business days | After authorization, fee, and complete Step 5 information |
| Possible CESIR extension | Up to 40 business days | By agreement and without harming another application |
The Con Edison application page repeats the no-fee small threshold and $750 large application fee. It also warns that CESIR and construction costs may apply.
National Grid project costs must come from the current SIR, utility invoice, and study result. Do not borrow a Con Edison cost guide for a National Grid estimate.
Project schedules need separate lines for applicant work, utility review, local permitting, equipment supply, construction, testing, meter work, and acceptance. Combining those lines hides dependencies.
What happens after utility acceptance for construction?
An accepted application or executed contract is not the final letter of acceptance. The applicant must build the utility-accepted design and follow the current project schedule.
Substantive changes require review. The small-project path calls for a revised system diagram when the accepted design changes. Large projects also require updated design records at defined milestones.
Use formal change control for these events:
- Module, inverter, battery, or control-equipment substitution.
- Capacity change.
- Point-of-connection change.
- Meter or disconnect relocation.
- Protection or conductor change.
- Export-mode or controller-setting change.
- Field condition that changes the accepted topology.
Do not update only the permit drawing. The utility portal, application, diagrams, equipment evidence, and test procedure may all need revision.
The equipment-swap and PE revision guide helps teams identify affected electrical and structural records. It does not decide whether a New York professional seal is required.
The permit redline resubmission guide provides a useful comment log method. Keep utility and authority comments separate while coordinating the same design basis.
How do testing, meter work, and final acceptance fit together?
Testing proves that the installed project matches its accepted design and applicable requirements. It is separate from local permit inspection. Meter work is also a separate utility activity.
For small projects, the SIR places verification testing in Step 5. The utility may witness the test. If it does not witness, the applicant sends a written certification within the stated period.
Parallel operation follows satisfactory testing and continued contractual compliance. The formal acceptance letter follows under Step 6.
For large projects, the SIR places verification testing in Step 9. The utility receives a chance to witness. Step 10 covers parallel operation. Step 11 covers formal acceptance and cost reconciliation.
The record sequence should be explicit:
- Utility-accepted design.
- Local permit and approved construction documents.
- Installed equipment and field record.
- Required inspection evidence.
- Site-specific verification procedure.
- Test and witness record.
- Meter or utility field-work record.
- Formal utility acceptance.
- Final cost reconciliation when applicable.
Never treat a passed municipal inspection as utility permission. Never treat a portal approval as proof that field work matches the accepted design.
The solar as-built drawing guide explains how to close the gap between construction and the final controlled record.
The New York Interconnection Record Reconciliation
This reconciliation is a project-control method for both utilities. It checks the records most likely to drift between application and acceptance.
1. Identity record
Match the customer name, service address, utility, account, meter, project number, and applicant authority. Stop when any identifier differs.
2. Capacity record
Match PV DC capacity, inverter AC capacity, storage power, storage energy, existing generation, and the SIR route. Record the rating basis.
3. Topology record
Match voltage, phase, point of common coupling, protection, disconnects, meters, conductors, transformer context, and export-control location.
4. Equipment record
Match exact manufacturers, models, ratings, certifications, firmware, and settings. Remove superseded cut sheets from the upload folder.
5. Approval record
Match the portal version, accepted drawings, utility comments, local permit set, and contract. Assign an owner to every open difference.
6. Field and closeout record
Match installed nameplates, inspection evidence, test results, meter work, formal acceptance, and final cost record.
Run the check before initial filing, construction release, equipment substitution, test scheduling, and energization. The check is complete only when each difference has a documented resolution.
Release rule. Advance the project when the records agree. A correct drawing cannot repair a different utility, meter, capacity, model, or operating mode elsewhere.
How can Heaven Designs support the drawing package?
Heaven Designs can support coordinated drawings for the utility and local permit process. The useful scope starts with the correct utility, service record, equipment, capacity, and connection concept.
The solar permit design service covers US permit plan-set support. A New York intake should include the electric bill, site information, survey data, equipment schedule, proposed operating mode, existing system, and utility correspondence.
A practical drawing handoff can include:
- Controlled site plan.
- Single-line or three-line diagram, as required.
- Equipment schedules and exact cut sheets.
- Utility-to-drawing data register.
- Revision log for comments and substitutions.
- Final record aligned with field information.
Engineering decisions, professional seals, and utility acceptance require qualified project review. Heaven Designs does not claim in-house New York licensure, stamping authority, or utility approval power.
If your team needs drawing support, send the utility bill, system capacity, equipment list, and current project status. The team can review the drawing scope without promising approval or a utility completion date.
FAQ
Do Con Edison and National Grid use the same New York solar application?
They use the same statewide SIR framework, but not one shared utility application. Con Edison directs applicants to its PowerClerk programs. National Grid uses its current utility application route and project records. Never submit Con Edison forms to National Grid.
Is a New York solar project below 50 kW automatically approved in 10 days?
No. The SIR gives the utility 10 business days to assess the original submission. The review can address completeness, technical compliance, and approval when all other requirements are met. Corrections, installation, inspection, testing, meter work, and acceptance remain separate.
Does a hosting-capacity map guarantee interconnection?
No. A map is an early planning source. It can change, and it does not reserve feeder capacity. The submitted application, queue position, screens, studies, and utility decision control the project.
Does every project above 50 kW require CESIR?
No. The utility first applies preliminary screens. A project can pass, move through supplemental review, or proceed to CESIR. Network conditions and project-specific impacts can change the path.
Can a three-phase solar project use a single-line drawing?
Appendix F calls for a single-line for solar PV and battery applications. However, the SIR lets the utility require a three-line for three-phase PV and battery designs. Follow the current utility request and show the existing service accurately.
Can the installer energize after local inspection?
Local inspection alone does not complete utility interconnection. Follow the utility testing, meter, parallel-operation, and formal-acceptance steps. Keep the final utility letter with the project closeout record.
Can the project reuse a Con Edison CESIR estimate for National Grid?
No. Utility system conditions, study scope, facilities, and costs are project-specific. Use the serving utility’s invoice, study, and written project record.
Final decision for a Con Edison or National Grid package
Start with the electric bill, not the county or gas provider. Then route the project under the current New York SIR from capacity, service configuration, equipment, and operating facts.
For Con Edison, use the correct PowerClerk program and current utility checklist. For National Grid, obtain the current Upstate New York application route and utility specifications. Do not merge the two workflows.
The submission is ready when the portal, application, site plan, diagrams, equipment, permit set, installed work, testing, meter record, and acceptance path describe one project.