SEPA Names Top 10 Solar Utilities in U.S.

CA utilities rank 1, 2, 3 and 9

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) released its second annual "Top Ten Utility Solar Integration Rankings" based on data through 2008. U.S. utilities were ranked according to installed solar capacity in categories including customer-side of the meter (net metering); utility-side of the meter; solar capacity per customer and more.

As expected, California held four of the top 10 utilities for total megawatts of solar installed in 2008, including the top three spots. Pacific Gas & Electric (Central to Northern CA) ranked first with 84.9MW installed in 2008 followed by Southern California Edison (LA to AZ border) at 32.4MW installed and San Diego Gas & Electric was third with 16MW installed. Sacramento Municipal Utility District ranked ninth with 2.9MW installed. Rounding out the top 10 in order were utilities from Colorado (14.2MW), New Jersey (5.5MW), Arizona (3.56MW), Hawaii (3.54MW), Oregon (3.538MW), New York (2.5MW).

Total cumulative solar capacity through 2008 showed five California utilities in the top ten. In order these were Southern California Edison with 441.4MWac total capacity installed; Pacific Gas & Electric, 229.5MW; Nevada Energy, 7.9MW; San Diego Gas & Electric, 49.3MW; Public Service Co. of Colorado (Xcell Energy), 28.5MW; LA Dept. of Water & Power, 13.6MW; Public Service Electric & Gas Co. of New Jersey, 13.2MW; Arizona Public Service Co., 10.6MW; Sacramento Municipal Utility Dist., 10.2MW; and Long Island Power Authority of New York, 7.7MW installed.

To download the complete report, go to: http://www.solarelectricpower.org/docs/SEPA%20Utility%20Solar%20Integration%20Rankings-2008.Public%20release.pdf