Permission to operate is the utility's approval to turn on and connect a solar system to the grid. It comes after the system is installed, the local building or electrical inspection has passed and the utility has reviewed or inspected the interconnection, sometimes after installing a new meter. Running a system before PTO can violate your utility agreement. The PTO date often matters financially: export rate lock-ins, some incentive deadlines and the start of lease payments can be tied to it. In Arizona, for example, state law delays recurring lease payments until the utility grants permission to operate. Ask your installer who submits the interconnection application and how long PTO usually takes in your area.
Related terms and pages
- Interconnection: The utility process for connecting a home solar or battery system to the grid.
- Solar lease: An agreement to rent panels a company owns and installs on your roof, for a fixed monthly payment.
- Checking an installer