Met-Ed Solar Interconnection and Net Metering Policy

Met-Ed (Metropolitan Edison Company), a FirstEnergy subsidiary serving parts of eastern and central Pennsylvania, operates under interconnection and net metering requirements set by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard Act. Understanding how these policies govern the connection of solar generation systems to the Met-Ed distribution grid is essential for property owners, installers, and commercial developers operating within Met-Ed's service territory. This page covers the definition and scope of Met-Ed's interconnection framework, how the process functions step by step, common scenarios that arise under it, and the decision boundaries that determine eligibility and compensation structure.

Definition and scope

Met-Ed's solar interconnection policy establishes the technical and administrative procedures by which a customer-owned solar photovoltaic (PV) system is connected to the Met-Ed distribution grid. Net metering, operating alongside interconnection, is the billing mechanism that credits solar customers for excess electricity exported to the grid. Both programs are governed at the state level by the Pennsylvania PUC (52 Pa. Code § 75) and the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) Act of 2004.

Geographic and legal scope: This page covers only Met-Ed's service territory in Pennsylvania, which includes portions of Berks, Carbon, Lancaster, Lebanon, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties. Policy details specific to PECO, PPL Electric, or Duquesne Light — Pennsylvania's other major investor-owned utilities — fall outside this page's coverage and are addressed on their respective utility pages (see PECO Solar Interconnection and Policy and PPL Electric Solar Interconnection and Policy). Federal interconnection rules under FERC jurisdiction apply to transmission-level projects and are not covered here. Municipal electric utilities operating within Pennsylvania do not fall under Met-Ed's tariffs and are likewise out of scope.

For a broader understanding of how net metering functions across the entire Commonwealth, the net metering in Pennsylvania reference page provides statewide context.

How it works

Met-Ed's interconnection and net metering process follows a structured sequence governed by the PUC's net metering regulations and FirstEnergy's internal technical standards. The process applies to systems generating electricity from solar PV and other qualifying alternative energy sources under the AEPS Act.

Interconnection process — numbered phases:

1. Pre-application screening: The applicant submits a pre-application report request for projects above 10 kW AC to identify potential grid impact issues before full application costs are incurred.
2. Application submission: The customer or their installer submits a formal interconnection application through the FirstEnergy/Met-Ed online portal, including system specifications, single-line diagrams, and equipment certification documentation.
3. Technical review: Met-Ed engineers evaluate whether the proposed system requires a simplified review (systems ≤ 10 kW on a 240-volt service) or an expedited/independent study review for larger installations.
4. Interconnection agreement execution: Upon approval, the customer signs a standardized interconnection agreement specifying operating requirements, anti-islanding compliance, and inspection obligations.
5. Meter configuration: Met-Ed installs or reprograms a bi-directional meter capable of recording both energy imported from and exported to the grid — a prerequisite for net metering credits.
6. Permission to operate (PTO): Final authorization to energize the system is issued only after a local electrical inspection and Met-Ed's confirmation that all technical requirements are satisfied.

Inverter equipment must meet IEEE 1547 and UL 1741 standards, which define the safety and performance baseline for grid-tied inverters (IEEE 1547-2018). Anti-islanding protection — which automatically disconnects the solar system during a grid outage — is a non-negotiable technical requirement under both IEEE 1547 and NEC Article 705.

For a conceptual grounding in how Pennsylvania solar systems generate and deliver power, the how Pennsylvania solar energy systems work overview provides foundational context.

Common scenarios

Scenario 1 — Residential system ≤ 10 kW AC:
A homeowner in Reading installs a 8.5 kW DC / 7.6 kW AC rooftop system. Under the simplified interconnection review, Met-Ed targets a 20-business-day review period. The bi-directional meter is installed at no charge to the customer under PUC rules (52 Pa. Code § 75.13). Net metering credits appear as a kilowatt-hour credit on the monthly bill, valued at the full retail rate.

Scenario 2 — Small commercial system 10–500 kW AC:
A commercial building in Allentown installs a 125 kW AC rooftop system. Systems of this scale may also require a distribution system impact study if screens indicate potential voltage or capacity concerns.

Scenario 3 — Net metering credit carryover:
Excess kilowatt-hour credits from a high-production month (typically May or June in Pennsylvania's climate profile) carry forward indefinitely as kWh credits on subsequent bills. Under current PUC rules, Met-Ed does not pay cash for excess annual generation; unused credits roll over but are not monetized at year-end without a separate arrangement.

Scenario 4 — Battery storage addition:
Adding a battery storage system to an existing interconnected solar installation may require a supplemental interconnection application if the battery is configured to export to the grid. AC-coupled systems with export capability are reviewed as new generation resources. For a detailed treatment of storage integration, see solar battery storage Pennsylvania.

The regulatory context for Pennsylvania solar energy systems page documents the broader statutory framework within which Met-Ed's tariffs operate.

Decision boundaries

Several threshold criteria determine which review path, compensation structure, or technical requirement applies to a given solar project in Met-Ed territory.

System size classification:

Net metering eligibility boundaries:
- The system must be located on the customer's side of the meter and sized to meet no more than 110% of the customer's prior 12-month electricity consumption, per PUC net metering rules.
- The customer must be a retail customer of Met-Ed — tenants in master-metered buildings without individual meters generally do not qualify for individual net metering accounts under standard tariff terms.
- Virtual net metering (crediting generation from an off-site facility to a different meter) is not available through Met-Ed's standard tariff for most residential customers; community solar arrangements operate under separate PUC frameworks (see community solar programs Pennsylvania).

Safety and inspection decision points:
- All systems require a local electrical permit and inspection by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) — typically the municipality or county — before Met-Ed will issue permission to operate.
- Systems larger than 10 kW may require a utility-grade disconnect accessible to Met-Ed personnel without entering the structure, per FirstEnergy's technical standards.
- Systems must comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC) Article 690 (solar PV) and Article 705 (interconnected power production sources).

Pennsylvania Act 129 and AEPS interaction:
Met-Ed's net metering obligations are reinforced by the AEPS Act, under which solar generation may produce Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). However, SREC registration is separate from interconnection and net metering — a system can be interconnected and net-metered without being registered in the Pennsylvania SREC tracking program (Pennsylvania SREC market). Enrolling in SREC registration requires a separate application to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's alternative energy tracking system.

For property owners evaluating whether solar is feasible on their site, roof assessment for solar in Pennsylvania addresses the structural and orientation factors that influence system design before the interconnection process begins. A statewide map of all utility service territories — including Met-Ed's boundaries — is available through the Pennsylvania electric utility territories and solar reference. The Pennsylvania solar interconnection process page covers procedural steps that apply across all Pennsylvania investor-owned utilities, complementing the Met-Ed-specific details on this page. For a comprehensive overview of the Pennsylvania solar market, the Pennsylvania solar statistics and market data page provides statewide figures. Additional information on incentive structures is available on the main Pennsylvania Solar Authority reference.

References

• Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission — Net Metering Regulations, 52 Pa. Code § 75
• [Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) Act of 2004 — Pennsylvania General Assembly](https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=2004&sessInd=0&smthLw