IID says application errors are to blame for Indio solar project delays

Utility officials from Imperial Irrigation District (IID) told the Indio City Council on Wednesday that paperwork errors, not grid capacity, are the primary cause for solar connection delays.

During a presentation, district staff walked councilmembers through the utility’s solar application portal and pointed to contractor errors as the leading cause of application delays.

“What we see, typically, is solar installers not checking with IID’s compliance or regulations and having to go back and change plans with the city…or installing systems without utility approval,” Lauren Olivo, IID’S manager of energy business & regulatory compliance, said.

The presentation aimed to clarify the steps required for residents to connect rooftop solar systems to the regional grid. While the district maintains an online portal to streamline submissions, Olivo said that the timeline for approval is frequently extended by inaccuracies in initial filings.

“It can just be administrative errors, down to inputting an email incorrectly. Another big one is also contractors just install and disappear,” Olivo said.

Another point of friction in the approval process involves oversized solar systems, which are designed to produce more electricity than a home has historically consumed. IID requires contractors to provide load justification for any system that exceeds a property’s previous 12-month energy usage, usually to account for future additions like electric vehicle chargers or pool equipment.

“In order to not subsidize other non-solar rate payers, we don’t allow [customers] to go more than 100% of consumption,” Olivo said.

Under the utlity’s current structure, compensation is tied to “avoided costs” based on the price of utility-scale solar. Olivo explained that this prevents financial imbalances between residents, noting that “higher compensation rates can create cost shifts for customers without solar effectively subsidizing those with behind-the-meter generation”.

Solar customers who export energy back to the grid currently receive a credit of 6.98 cents per kilowatt-hour, a rate reflecting the declining cost of large-scale solar technology and federal incentives.

Mayor Pro Tem Waymond Fermon, who sits on the board of the newly formed Coachella Valley Power Agency, said the presentation was necessary because there are “a lot of misconceptions and misinformation that’s out there about solar with respect to IID and interconnection.”

The Coachella Valley is in transitional time for energy management. Indio last year joined the Coachella Valley Power Agency, a new regional utility that allows local leaders more control over energy procurement and budgeting. While the new agency focuses on sourcing power, the Imperial Irrigation District remains responsible for the physical infrastructure and the technical process of bringing new generation sources online.

Electrical infrastructure has been a point of focus for the city following recent development hurdles. Project timelines have faced pressure elsewhere in the city, such as the new clubhouse at the Lights at Indio Golf Course, where utility issues have delayed the facility’s opening by a year.

Wednesday’s presentation comes after councilmembers expressed frustration during a City Council meeting in November. Then-Mayor Glenn Miller said he has heard from three different people who were trying to install solar but ran into roadblocks from IID.

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