How better tracking can reduce grid connection delays 

Co-Authored by Harish Makarim, EDF Legal and Regulatory Extern

Electrification is accelerating across the United States. Homes are switching from gas to electric appliances, electric vehicles are scaling rapidly and new clean energy projects, data centers and manufacturing are facilities coming online. But in many places, long grid connection times have become a major bottleneck that threatens to slow this transition.

This final step in electrification, known as energization, is where delays can block project completion. Even the most ambitious clean energy goals stall when new connections or upgrades take months or years to complete, with upstream upgrades driving a large share of the delay. Energization delays can hold up housing development, prevent EV charging deployment, slow clean energy projects and increase costs for customers and utilities alike.

Rapid energization is not just a technical issue. It is central to making electrification affordable and reliable. If timelines remain slow and unpredictable, electrification will become more expensive, more frustrating and less equitable, especially for customers with fewer resources to navigate delays.

Timeline tracking makes delays visible

Energization delays persist in part because they are often invisible. Customers may experience long waits, but utilities, regulators and policymakers often lack consistent data showing where delays occur, how long they last and who controls each step. In many jurisdictions, energization timelines are not tracked consistently, leaving regulators without a clear view of where delays occur.

Energization involves multiple phases: application review, engineering design, permitting, construction, inspection and final connection. Some of these steps depend on customers or local governments, while others fall under utility control. Without clear tracking, delays are often attributed to complexity even when utility processes are the primary cause. Even steps assigned to customers or local governments are often shaped by utility processes, from application clarity to coordination and review timelines.

Timeline tracking addresses this problem by introducing transparency and accountability. By measuring and publicly reporting how long each step takes, utilities and regulators can identify bottlenecks, compare performance across service territories and focus improvement efforts where they matter most.

California’s Public Utilities Commission recently became the first regulator in the country to adopt energization timeline tracking requirements, recognizing that electrification goals require measurable expectations for grid connection. Other states are beginning to follow. Colorado and Illinois have enacted legislation directing regulators to collect and use energization data, while Washington, D.C. requires tracking of EV charging timelines as part of its infrastructure planning. In New York, Con Edison has incorporated energization timelines into performance incentives for transportation electrification, with broader tracking under consideration. Together, these efforts reflect growing recognition that timely grid connection is critical to electrification.

EDF’s design recommendations for timeline tracking

Timeline tracking is necessary but not sufficient to accelerate energization. EDF’s analysis shows that impact depends on how regulators design these systems. Key decisions about what to measure and how to define timelines will determine whether tracking documents delays or drives improvement.

1. Start tracking at application submission. Regulators should begin tracking from the date a service application is submitted. This captures the full customer experience, including how quickly utilities process incoming applications and conduct initial reviews. It helps ensure delays are not missed and provides a more accurate baseline. If regulators later introduce performance incentives, they may consider basing them on completed applications to avoid misalignment. But for initial tracking, submission-based measurement provides the most complete picture.
2. Start with total timelines, then add detail. Begin with a single end-to-end metric: total time from application to energization. This approach is easier to implement, aligns with the customer experience and reduces administrative burden. Over time, regulators can add step-level tracking to identify persistent bottlenecks.
3. Track a single, comprehensive timeline. Track one unified timeline that includes both utility-controlled and customer-facing steps. While some actions, such as permitting or engineering review, are assigned to customers or local governments, utilities can often influence how quickly they are completed. A single timeline reflects real-world outcomes and helps avoid fragmented accountability. As tracking systems mature, regulators can layer in more detail on utility-controlled steps, especially if they introduce performance-based incentives.
4. Include upstream grid upgrades. Include all required infrastructure upgrades, such as transformer replacements or circuit improvements, in total timelines. Excluding these elements understates wait times and obscures a major source of delay. Including them encourages forward planning and proactive capacity management, rather than reactive fixes.

Grid connections must be faster

Electrification will only succeed if customers can connect to the grid quickly, affordably and reliably. Delays do not just slow projects, they increase financing risk, raise project costs and ultimately show up in customer bills. Energization delays are solvable, but fixing them requires visibility, accountability and intentional reform.

Timeline tracking is a foundational step. By making delays measurable and transparent, it gives utilities and regulators the tools they need to identify bottlenecks, improve performance and accelerate the clean energy transition.