CenterPoint Energy Solar Interconnection: Timeline and Tracker
Like Oncor, CenterPoint Energy is a regulated delivery utility rather than a retail electricity provider. In the Houston market that means the installer works with CenterPoint on the physical interconnection and meter, while the customer’s retail provider handles billing and any solar buyback.
Who is CenterPoint Energy, and where does it operate?
CenterPoint Energy delivers electricity across the greater Houston metropolitan area and surrounding Gulf Coast communities. In this deregulated ERCOT region, CenterPoint owns and operates the distribution wires and meters but does not sell the electricity, so its role in a solar project is strictly the interconnection and metering side.
The interconnection process
- 1.Installers typically submit CenterPoint’s distributed generation interconnection application after finalizing the design, supplying the equipment and one-line details CenterPoint uses to approve a parallel connection.
- 2.CenterPoint reviews the application and authorizes the interconnection and any meter change required for solar. Installers describe a typical range of a few weeks, depending on the project and queue volume.
- 3.Once the city permit and inspection are complete and CenterPoint finishes the meter work, the system can operate. The customer’s retail electric provider then handles any net metering or buyback arrangement separately.
Timelines above reflect what installers commonly report, not guaranteed or regulated processing times. Confirm current requirements directly with CenterPoint Energy.
Documents typically required
- •Completed CenterPoint distributed generation interconnection application
- •One-line electrical diagram
- •Inverter specification / listing documentation
- •Signed interconnection agreement
- •Local building permit and inspection sign-off
The gap between permit approval and PTO
Houston-area projects can clear SB1202 permitting quickly and still wait on CenterPoint’s meter and interconnection step before they can switch on — and then wait again on the retail provider for buyback. That handoff chain is exactly where timelines slip. PermitClock keeps the CenterPoint interconnection clock visible next to the permit clock so the project does not stall between parties.
CenterPoint Energy jurisdictions we track
Track your CenterPoint Energy interconnection timeline in PermitClock
See the interconnection clock next to the permit clock, and catch the projects that stall on the way to PTO.