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Pepco has approved ConnectDER’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA for installation in its Washington, D.C.-area service territory. The company says its EV adapter can provide a meter-side connection for residential charging and may avoid some electrical panel upgrades; the approval does not establish that every home can use the equipment without other work.
Pepco has approved ConnectDER’s meter socket adapters for installations in its Washington, D.C.-area service territory, allowing the company’s devices for solar, battery storage and residential EV charging to be considered for local projects. The approval matters to homeowners and installers because the adapters connect at an existing electric meter socket and may reduce the need for some service-panel upgrades, though requirements will depend on each property.
The approval covers ConnectDER’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA, according to the company’s report. The devices, also known as meter collars, connect to the meter socket outside a home. ConnectDER says that arrangement can provide a connection for distributed energy equipment without changing the home’s service panel or increasing its electrical service capacity in some installations.
The EV MSA is designed to supply a connection at the meter for residential EV charging equipment. ConnectDER says it may allow a homeowner to add a high-power charger without replacing an existing 100-amp panel. That is a potential installation outcome, not a guarantee that a panel upgrade or other electrical work will never be required.
ConnectDER’s products are described in the source report as UL-listed and compliant with the National Electrical Code. The company says they have utility approval in 54 U.S. service territories, with Pepco the latest utility to approve them. The source does not specify the approval’s effective date or give a list of installation conditions for Pepco customers.
Potentially Lowering Home Charging Costs
Electrical service upgrades can add cost, labor and time to a home EV-charger project. A meter-side connection could give installers another option where a home’s existing panel has limited capacity, potentially making charging installation less disruptive for some customers. The same approach may also be relevant to solar and battery projects covered by the other approved adapters.
The practical effect will depend on the home’s electrical setup, equipment and local installation requirements. Pepco’s approval makes the products eligible for consideration in its territory; it does not mean every house qualifies, that every installer will use them, or that a customer can avoid an assessment or required electrical work. The reported approval also does not include prices, projected savings or installation figures.
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How Meter Socket Adapters Work
A meter socket adapter is installed at the point where the electric meter connects to a home. ConnectDER’s devices are intended to provide a connection for equipment such as EV chargers, solar systems or battery storage at that location. The company presents this as an alternative to some panel reconfigurations and service upgrades, rather than as a replacement for all electrical assessments or upgrades.
Utility approval is relevant because the equipment connects at the meter, which is part of the utility-facing electrical service. The source says ConnectDER has approvals across 54 utility service territories, but does not identify the other utilities or explain whether approval conditions are identical across those territories. Pepco serves the Washington, D.C., area, according to the report.
DC-based solar installer Solar Solution described using the adapters for local solar and EV charging projects. Its account provides an installer’s view of the process, but the source does not provide independent cost or time comparisons for projects using the adapters.
“ConnectDER’s meter socket adapters have helped us make solar and EV charging accessible to more DC residents without requiring expensive electrical upgrades.”
— Joseph Sigwarth, executive director of operations at Solar Solution
Installation Conditions Still Matter
The source report does not spell out Pepco’s approval conditions, including whether particular equipment configurations, installer qualifications or customer applications are required. It also does not say when the approval took effect or how many local installations have used the adapters.
Whether an EV MSA can avoid a service-panel upgrade will depend on the individual property and installation. The claim that a high-power charger can be added to a home with a 100-amp panel is attributed to ConnectDER, and should not be read as a finding that all such homes can support a charger without additional work. No independent performance data, price comparisons or customer eligibility figures were included in the supplied report.
Pepco-Area Projects and Guidance
Homeowners and installers in Pepco’s service area can check with the utility and a qualified electrical professional about whether a ConnectDER adapter is approved for a specific project and what other work may be needed. The next useful details would be Pepco’s installation requirements, the approval’s effective date and guidance on how customers or contractors should request approval.
Further reporting could also establish how often the devices avoid panel upgrades locally and what they cost compared with conventional installations. Until those details are available, the confirmed development is the utility approval—not a quantified reduction in project costs or a universal path to charger installation without panel work.
Key Questions
What did Pepco approve?
Pepco approved ConnectDER’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA for installations in its Washington, D.C.-area service territory, according to the source report.
Can the EV MSA eliminate a panel upgrade?
It may avoid an upgrade in some installations, according to ConnectDER. It is not guaranteed; a property’s electrical capacity and installation requirements still need to be evaluated.
What does the EV MSA connect to?
ConnectDER says its EV MSA provides a power connection at the meter for residential EV charging equipment.
Does Pepco’s approval mean every customer can install one?
No such blanket eligibility is stated in the report. The approval conditions and customer-specific requirements were not detailed in the source material.
What savings will customers see?
The source report includes an installer’s claim that projects can be less costly and disruptive, but gives no prices or quantified savings. Actual costs will depend on the project.
Source: chargedevs.com
