BGE solar interconnection and net metering explained

Interconnection is the review that lets a home solar system connect to Baltimore Gas and Electric’s (BGE’s) grid. Net metering is the billing method that credits the power you send back. A Maryland home project leaves four paper records: the application, the local inspection, BGE’s final approval with the net meter, and your bill-credit election.^1,2

Two things are still moving this fall. The Public Service Commission (PSC) hasn’t finished rewriting the interconnection rules, and it hasn’t said which step counts toward the July 1, 2027 net metering cutoff. Below you’ll find the rule as written, plus where to look for changes.

How does a project move through BGE?

Your contractor usually files BGE’s interconnection application, though you may apply directly. BGE reviews it, you install after approval, and your county or city inspects. BGE then checks the paperwork, installs the net meter and emails permission to operate. Power-on waits for that email.^1,3

BGE’s outage report lists customers served in Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.⁴ A county name alone doesn’t settle which utility you have, so check your bill. If Pepco is your utility, the steps differ; see our Pepco interconnection guide.

BGE’s “Getting Started” page lays out the order:¹

1. Permits first. Contact your municipality or county about permit rules. Howard County’s Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits has a solar panel permits section and an online permitting page for applying.⁵ Our Howard County permits guide goes further on that county.
2. Application. The email your contractor enters must match the email you use to sign in to your BGE account. For systems of 20 kilowatts (kW) of alternating current (AC) or less, BGE says processing “may take up to 20 days.”¹ That’s BGE’s own estimate; the regulation’s formal clocks come in a later section.
3. Install, then inspect. Install only after BGE approves the application. Then book the county or municipal inspection.
4. Final documents. BGE needs the certificate of completion and proof of the passed inspection, and it must already have approved the application. It then sends the file to the net meter install team. If your meter is inside your home and the team can’t reach it, BGE schedules an appointment.
5. Permission to operate. Power on only after BGE’s “Permission to Operate” email arrives.
6. First bills. Generation and any net metering credits appear as separate line items.

BGE sorts applications into four levels, and almost every residential job is Level 1, which BGE defines as systems up to 20 kW AC.⁶ The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) uses a Level 1 procedure for an inverter-based system of 20 kW or less.⁷ To apply, you have to be the customer on record in BGE’s billing system.⁶

What has to happen before BGE lets you switch on?

Five things must be in place: a signed interconnection agreement, local electrical approval, a returned certificate of completion, a completed or waived witness test, and any amounts owed paid. BGE’s Level 1 form, Maryland’s regulation and BGE’s application page all point to them. Don’t run the system before BGE gives final acceptance.^3,8,9

• Signed agreement. Regulation .09C(4) and the form both require it.^8,9
• Local electrical approval. Keep the inspection pass record.^8,9
• Certificate of completion. Returned to BGE before the system operates.^3,9
• Witness test done or waived. A witness test is a utility check of the installed system. Under the form, BGE may run it within 5 business days of the estimated commissioning date, and if it doesn’t, the test is treated as waived.⁸ The regulation’s own witness-test window runs 10 business days from the commissioning test.¹⁰
• Amounts due paid. BGE says funds owed must arrive before interconnection.³

The form, a BGE document dated June 2019 (the file was updated in March 2025), says construction may begin once BGE signs the conditional agreement. The request isn’t finally approved until BGE signs the certificate of completion.⁸

Common mistake: switching on the day the inspector signs off. A passed inspection is one of the five conditions, not permission. BGE’s email is.

Even with that email in hand, a grid-tied system won’t power your house in an outage. The National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL) explains that without added planning and investment, grid-connected panels switch off automatically during a grid outage, to protect crews repairing the lines.¹¹

One wrinkle on signatures: BGE’s application page says it mails an interconnection agreement within 5 business days and gives you 30 calendar days to sign and return it, or the request is withdrawn unless BGE agrees to extend.³ Its cost-sharing overview, dated May 1, 2026, also mentions an electronic signature request for the application itself.¹² Your contractor can tell you which signatures your file needs.

How long does BGE have to review a Level 1 application?

Under COMAR 20.50.09.09, the utility has 5 business days to call a Level 1 request complete and 15 more to verify that it can connect safely. It then has 20 business days from receiving acceptable documents to approve and grant permission to operate, subject to four conditions.⁹

The rule says the utility “shall approve” unless it demonstrates that the system can’t connect safely or reliably.⁹ A PSC proposal would amend the rule.¹³

1. 1Completeness notice5 business days
2. 2Safety and reliability check15 business days
3. 3Permission to operate20 business days
4. 4Return the agreement30 calendar days
5. 5BGE's processing estimateUp to 20 days

The four conditions behind the 20-day clock are local electrical approval, a returned certificate of completion, a completed or waived witness test and a signed agreement. The rule counts the 20 business days from receipt of acceptable documents, not from the day you first apply. The date BGE logs your complete package is the one worth knowing.⁹

Is the COMAR rewrite final?

Not as of October 25, 2026. The wording above is the Library of Maryland Regulations’ current text of COMAR 20.50.09.09, which has no temporary-permission language.⁹ A rewrite is under way, though.

• On July 10, 2026, the PSC’s notice in rulemaking docket RM 94 said emergency regulations for this chapter were “scheduled to expire on October 10, 2026,” and that it was considering permanent replacements.¹⁴
• The Maryland Register of September 18, 2026 published proposed permanent amendments to .09, including temporary permission to operate. The PSC says the aim is to remove obstacles for utility-scale projects facing federal tax-credit deadlines. Comments were accepted through October 19, 2026.¹³
• The RM 94 docket lists a notice of a final rulemaking session filed October 5, 2026, then comments on October 13 and October 19. It lists no final order.¹⁵
• The Register’s October 16, 2026 table still shows the proposal as not adopted.¹⁶

The October 10 expiry has passed. According to the Register, if an agency chooses not to adopt the permanent version, the emergency status expires and the regulation’s text reverts to its original language.¹⁷ The public record doesn’t say which wording BGE is applying to a particular application, so ask BGE which version governs yours. The RM 94 docket and the next Register issue will show any adoption.

A review can also end short of approval. BGE’s overview says customers are notified when a project needs electric upgrade work.¹² Under the regulation, a request that fails Level 1 can be resubmitted under Level 2, 3 or 4.⁹

Illustrative example. A homeowner has a passed inspection record and a text from the contractor saying BGE received the certificate of completion. There’s no net meter confirmation yet and no permission-to-operate email. The useful question for BGE is the date it received acceptable documents, because under the Library text the 20-business-day window runs from that date.

What does BGE charge for a residential solar application?

For applications submitted on or after May 1, 2026, BGE’s cost-sharing method adds two one-time fees to a residential Level 1 application: a $17 administrative fee and a $108 hosting capacity fee.¹² The Level 1 application fee itself is $0.¹² The fees are due when you submit.¹⁸

Amount

• Level 1 application fee$0
• Administrative fee$17 per application
• Hosting capacity fee$108 per application

View the data as a table

Fee	Amount
Level 1 application fee	$0
Administrative fee	$17 per application
Hosting capacity fee	$108 per application

BGE labels its fee table “Initial Program Year” and says the hosting capacity fee is recalculated annually under PSC oversight.¹² Its June 12, 2026 frequently asked questions document says adding solar to an existing system counts as a new interconnection application under the same method.¹⁹ BGE states that the fees don’t affect eligibility for bill credits or how usage is measured.¹² Level 2 and higher applications have their own fee lines, which BGE’s overview lists. Check that your contractor’s quote includes these two charges.

How do net metering credits work on a BGE bill?

When your system sends more power to the grid than you draw in a billing month, you’re billed only customer charges and the surplus carries forward as kilowatt-hour credits. You then pick a yearly payout after April or let credits build. Any payout uses the commodity part of your rate.^2,20

Maryland Public Utilities Article (PUA) § 7-306(e)(1) says a net metering contract or tariff must be identical, in energy rates, rate structure and monthly charges, to what the customer would be assigned without solar.² Subsection (f) sets the crediting rules. The 2026 Utility RELIEF Act amended subsection (d), the cap and the cutoff, which the next section covers.^2,21

You have two choices, and you land in the first by default:²⁰

• Annual payout (12-month accrual). BGE issues payment for excess generation accumulated before the end of your April billing cycle.
• No annual payout (indefinite accrual). Excess carries from year to year until you close the account or switch back.

To change, contact BGE Customer Care or send the accrual form. Once you choose indefinite accrual, BGE says you wait 12 months before switching back, and it uses whichever choice is in effect on March 1 for the April payout. The statute words it differently: a customer on indefinite accrual may not elect to switch back unless the electric company approves the switch. Ask BGE which rule it applies to your account.^2,20

BGE’s customer guidelines (an undated PDF, created in July 2024) add three details. The default is set when permission to operate is granted. A net metering customer can send the election with the application documents or after permission to operate. And excess paid out is paid “at the rate charged for the electricity commodity only,” leaving out distribution and transmission charges.²²

Which step counts toward the July 1, 2027 cutoff?

The PSC hasn’t decided. Maryland’s 2026 Utility RELIEF Act keeps standard net metering open until the earlier of 3,000 megawatts statewide or July 1, 2027.²¹ It protects customers “under” a contract or tariff that day, but which step puts you under one is open. The PSC’s RM 56 draft offers three.^21,23

The Act’s full name is the Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act, and it became law as Chapter 353.²¹ The PSC’s June 25, 2026 draft in rulemaking docket RM 56 lays the options side by side:²³

Under version 3, someone who applied by the deadline but hadn’t signed an agreement would move to the successor program with prioritized review.²³

As of October 25, 2026, the RM 56 docket shows comments from utilities, trade groups and others filed through October 13, and no order choosing a version.²⁴ Separately, the Act says the Commission shall approve a successor-program framework on or before February 1, 2027, for a program beginning July 1, 2027, and the PSC’s May 14, 2026 notice repeats that schedule.^21,25 Our guides to the Maryland net metering deadline and the successor program follow the cutoff in more depth.

What it means for your schedule. Until the PSC picks a version, an installation date by itself is not one of the three options. If permission to operate becomes the test, BGE’s review time and any meter work would eat into your schedule, so get a written timeline from your contractor and keep every date.

Once you’re under a contract or tariff on July 1, 2027, the Act lets you stay eligible until the earliest of four events. The system is decommissioned. It is modified to increase its net power injection through added modules or its alternating current output capacity. It enters a new interconnection agreement. Or it is repowered.²¹

Batteries aren’t on that list, but BGE’s Level 1 terms require its written authorization before changes to the facility other than minor ones.⁸ If you add storage, BGE has a separate energy storage supplemental form, a 2018 document, that goes in with the interconnection application.²⁶ Get BGE’s answer in writing before changing equipment. Our guide to adding a battery to existing solar covers the practical side.

Which records should you keep?

Date every handoff and know who owns the next action. Any later dispute comes down to what BGE received, when it received it, and what it approved. A homeowner who can show the date of each handoff, from the fee receipt to the final email, has far less to argue about. These six records answer all three:^1,8

• the application confirmation and fee receipt, which show when BGE received a complete file¹⁸
• the signed agreement⁹
• the permit and inspection pass, the evidence that goes with the certificate of completion⁸
• the net meter confirmation, since BGE installs the meter after it verifies the file¹
• the permission-to-operate email¹
• your accrual election confirmation, which decides whether BGE pays out excess each April^20,22

Before you sign a contract, settle with your contractor which version of the Level 1 rule applies to your application and when its clock started. Find out whether a planned equipment change needs a new interconnection agreement, and who receives BGE’s notices.

If you buy a home with a net-metered system, BGE says the new customer must take ownership and responsibility, and offers a change notice form. BGE’s Level 1 terms say the agreement ends on transfer unless the new owner gives written notice before or at the time service transfers.^3,8

Soleil Energy’s residential solar page describes a process that covers permits, the utility interconnection application, inspection and the meter change. Howard County is one of the counties Soleil Energy names on its service area page. Broader project questions are in the answers to common solar questions.

If you’re planning a Maryland home solar project, bring your BGE bill and these questions to a consultation. Book a free consultation or call (301) 953-4140.

Solar savings and incentive eligibility depend on your roof, your usage, your utility, and your tax situation. Incentive programs change and some have limited funding. We are not tax advisors — we will review your bill with you and tell you what you may qualify for. Confirm any tax credit with a qualified tax professional.

Sources (26)

1. BGE, Getting Started with Solar Power, https://www.bge.com/smart-energy/my-green-power-connection/solar-home-business/private-solar/getting-started, current page with no publication date, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

2. Maryland Public Utilities Article § 7-306, current statute text, https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gpu&section=7-306&enactments=false, read October 25, 2026. The General Assembly’s statute site still shows the earlier text of subsection (d); the 2026 amendment appears in House Bill 1532, cited below. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

3. BGE, Applying for Interconnection, https://www.bge.com/smart-energy/my-green-power-connection/developers-contractors/applying-for-interconnection, current page with no publication date, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

4. BGE, power-outage reporting page with customers served by county, https://secure.bge.com/poweroutages/fallbackReport, live page with no publication date, read October 24, 2026. It lists customers served by county; it is not a territory map. ↩

5. Howard County, Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits (solar panel permits section), https://www.howardcountymd.gov/inspections-licenses-permits, current page with no publication date, read October 25, 2026. ↩

6. BGE, Choosing an Application, https://www.bge.com/smart-energy/my-green-power-connection/developers-contractors/choosing-an-application, current page with no publication date, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

7. Library of Maryland Regulations, COMAR 20.50.09.08, https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/20.50.09.08, current text, read October 25, 2026. ↩

8. BGE, Maryland Level 1 Interconnection Request Application Form and Conditional Agreement to Interconnect, form dated 06-2019, PDF file updated March 20, 2025, https://www.bge.com/cdn/assets/v3/assets/blt71bfe6e8a1c2d265/blt7a1db2fcfd6e3533/67e1881ccd657b7ed7c7d348/2025_Updated_Level_1_Application_and_final_COC.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

9. Library of Maryland Regulations, COMAR 20.50.09.09 Level 1 Review, https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/20.50.09.09, current text, read October 25, 2026. The text contains no temporary-permission language. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴

10. Code of Maryland Regulations 20.50.09.06L, “Witness Test of Small Generator Facility,” Library of Maryland Regulations, current text, https://regs.maryland.gov/us/md/exec/comar/20.50.09.06, read October 25, 2026. ↩

11. National Laboratory of the Rockies, Will Solar Panels Help When the Power Goes Out? Planning for PV Resilience, TP-7A40-75704, March 2020, https://docs.nlr.gov/docs/fy20osti/75704.pdf, read October 24, 2026. The laboratory was formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); the report was published under that name. ↩

12. BGE, Maryland Cost Allocation Method Overview for Residential Customers, dated May 1, 2026, https://www.bge.com/cdn/assets/v3/assets/blt71bfe6e8a1c2d265/blta66877b862ee4fe9/6a021e21c2a23f5a2b34046c/MCAM-S_Overview_for_Residential_Customers.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

13. Maryland Register, Volume 53, Issue 19, Notice of Proposed Action 26-143-P, September 18, 2026, https://dsd.maryland.gov/mdrissues/5319/assembled.aspx, read October 25, 2026. Proposed text, not final. ↩ ↩²

14. Maryland Public Service Commission, Notice of Opportunity to Comment and Rulemaking Session, RM 94, July 10, 2026, https://psc.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Notice_CommentOpp_RMSession-RM94.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩

15. Maryland Public Service Commission, RM 94 docket index, Revisions to COMAR 20.50.09 (entries through October 19, 2026), https://webpscxb.pscmaryland.com/DMS/rm/rm94, read October 25, 2026. ↩

16. Maryland Register, Volume 53, Issue 21, October 16, 2026, table of pending proposals, https://dsd.maryland.gov/mdrissues/5321/assembled.aspx, read October 25, 2026. Issue 22 had not been published at that address when read. ↩

17. Maryland Register, Volume 53, Issue 20, October 2, 2026, “Emergency Action on Regulations” explanation, https://dsd.maryland.gov/mdrissues/5320/assembled.aspx, read October 25, 2026. General explanation of emergency status, not specific to COMAR 20.50.09. ↩

18. BGE, Maryland Cost Allocation Method Scenario-Based Guide for Residential Customers, dated May 1, 2026, https://www.bge.com/cdn/assets/v3/assets/blt71bfe6e8a1c2d265/blt444b81bf564764fa/69f8c9d0162b3a4494c7cecf/MCAM-S_Scenario-Based_Guide_for_Residential.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

19. BGE, Frequently Asked Questions: Maryland Cost Allocation Method Secondary Voltage Level, dated June 12, 2026, https://www.bge.com/cdn/assets/v3/assets/blt71bfe6e8a1c2d265/blt81236ff93016dd8c/6a3beb1c063bdf6d4989c7d8/MCAM-S_Frequently_Asked_Questions.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩

20. BGE, Excess Renewable Generation Pay Out Options (Accrual Choice), https://www.bge.com/smart-energy/my-green-power-connection/solar-home-business/excess-renewable-generation-pay-out-options, current page with no publication date, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

21. Maryland General Assembly, House Bill 1532 (2026), enrolled, Utility RELIEF Act (approved by the Governor May 12, 2026 as Chapter 353 per the General Assembly’s bill page), § 7-306(a)(11), (d)(1) and (d)(5) and § 7-306.4(c), printed pages 119-124, PDF file dated April 15, 2026, https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1532E.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

22. BGE, Excess Generation Accrual Election Form: Customer Guidelines, undated PDF created July 9, 2024, https://azure-na-assets.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt71bfe6e8a1c2d265/bltde0b77f2aea3f863/66ba21e5e0552a1a9bdf88e5/Accrual_Guidelines_Web_Customer_Final.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩ ↩²

23. Maryland Public Service Commission, Proposed Regulations, RM 56, COMAR 20.50.10.01D, PDF dated June 25, 2026, https://psc.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Proposed-Regulations-RM-56.pdf, read October 25, 2026. Proposed text, not final. ↩ ↩² ↩³

24. Maryland Public Service Commission, RM 56 docket index (entries through October 13, 2026), https://webpscxb.pscmaryland.com/DMS/rm/rm56, read October 25, 2026. ↩

25. Maryland Public Service Commission, Notice Convening a Public Conference, PC 78, May 14, 2026, https://psc.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Notice_Convening-a-PC-PC-78.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩

26. BGE, Maryland Energy Storage Supplemental Form, PDF created March 2018, undated, https://www.bge.com/cdn/assets/v3/assets/blt71bfe6e8a1c2d265/blt5c3499b2acdbe8af/64e7259ade74f0000d04f631/BGEMDEnergyStorageForm.pdf, read October 25, 2026. ↩