Interconnection Pathways: What Developers Need to Know Before Filing
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Interconnection is often one of the most consequential(and least transparent)parts of project development.
The governing process can change by utility, jurisdiction, project type, and point of interconnection. Timelines may be measured in months or years, while the full financial commitment may not become clear until a project is already underway.
In the first session of Paces Accelerate, Josh Brown from Paces Solutions Engineering introduced the new Interconnection Pathways Module and demonstrated how earlier diligence can help teams make more informed decisions before filing.
Why Interconnection Is Difficult to Evaluate Early
Development teams frequently encounter three challenges:
- Project risk: A capacity constraint or operating limitation can undermine a project after significant time and capital have already been committed.
- Opaque timelines: Some interconnection deadlines are published, but others depend on application completeness, utility review, or studies with uncertain timing.
- Cost uncertainty: Application fees may represent only a small portion of the eventual commitment. Study deposits, security requirements, and network upgrades can substantially increase a project’s exposure.
The process also varies dramatically across projects. A large transmission-connected load may involve an ISO or RTO, a transmission owner, a state commission, and multiple study phases. A smaller distribution-connected project may follow a different utility process with limited public information.
Different pathways create the same underlying need: developers must understand what they are committing to before they file.
What the Interconnection Pathways Module Covers
The Interconnection Pathways Module provides a project-specific view of the interconnection process for a proposed point of interconnection. It is available for generation, load, or projects involving both.
Each report includes six core sections:
1. Overview
A plain-language summary of the findings, key considerations, and recommended next steps.
2. Interconnection Pathway
An explanation of which entities govern the project and how the applicable processes fit together.
3. Submission Matrix
A breakdown of what must be filed, where it must be submitted, and the expected cost or commitment at each stage.
4. Timeline
A view of the major phases, including which timelines are published and where timing remains uncertain.
5. Service Conditions
Relevant operating requirements, such as curtailment, interruptibility, credit, or security obligations.
6. Pending Changes
Proposed rules, tariff filings, or regulatory changes that could affect the project during development.
The report concludes with a favorability assessment based on the transparency of the process, whether a viable pathway appears to be available, and the level of utility engagement.
Better Inputs Produce More Useful Answers
To generate the most relevant analysis, teams should provide as much project-specific information as possible, including:
- Project type and size
- Whether the project involves generation, load, or both
- Connection tier and target voltage
- Target utility and point of interconnection
- Whether the project is behind the meter
- Any previous utility engagement
These details help narrow the applicable pathway and surface the requirements most likely to affect the project.
The Value of Knowing Earlier
The purpose of early interconnection diligence is not to eliminate every unknown. It is to identify the questions, costs, and commitments that could materially affect a project before the team is locked into a site or development path.
That earlier visibility can help teams:
- Rule out projects with unfavorable pathways sooner
- Compare opportunities using more than land availability
- Prepare for utility conversations with better questions
- Anticipate financial commitments before filing
- Enter unfamiliar markets with a clearer understanding of the process
Paces Reports provide focused, expert-validated analysis in as little as five days, helping development teams reach defensible decisions without waiting weeks for traditional diligence.
To learn how the Interconnection Pathways Module could apply to your pipeline or learn more about Paces Reports, contact the Paces team.
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