Colorado Plug-In Solar Law Takes Effect, Removing Utility Approval for Portable Systems
Colorado’s HB26-1007 took effect Aug. 12, creating statewide rules for portable-scale solar systems up to 1,920 watts and restricting utilities from requiring advance approval or fees for qualifying devices.
Published · 4 min read
Colorado’s Colorado plug-in solar law took effect Aug. 12, 2026, establishing statewide protections for qualifying portable-scale solar generation devices and restricting electric providers from requiring customers to obtain advance approval before installing or using them. The change expands the state’s distributed-energy framework by lowering some of the procedural barriers associated with small customer-sited solar systems.
House Bill 26-1007 defines a qualifying portable-scale solar generation device as a single photovoltaic system per address that is designed or commissioned to supply no more than 1,920 watts to the electric grid and is labeled and listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Systems must also prevent the grid from being energized during an outage.
Utilities can no longer require advance approval or special fees
Under the Colorado General Assembly’s enacted HB26-1007, providers of retail electric service or wholesale energy generally cannot require a customer to obtain the provider’s approval before installing or using a qualifying portable-scale solar device.
The law also prohibits providers from charging customers a fee related specifically to such a device or requiring additional controls or equipment beyond equipment integrated into the device pursuant to its applicable listing.
Utilities may, however, require customers to notify them that a portable-scale solar device is being used and provide the system’s size in kilowatts.
Those provisions distinguish portable-scale systems from conventional rooftop solar projects, which can involve formal interconnection applications, engineering reviews and additional equipment.
The law establishes a 1,920-watt ceiling
The Colorado plug-in solar law applies to a photovoltaic system and associated equipment designed or commissioned to supply no more than 1,920 watts to the grid. The enacted legislation also requires qualifying equipment to be labeled and listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
A device must incorporate a feature preventing it from energizing the electric grid during an outage, an important safety requirement intended to prevent distributed generation from feeding electricity onto lines that may be undergoing repairs.
The law additionally restricts customers from connecting more than one qualifying portable-scale solar generation device to a single wall outlet per address.
Systems of 391 watts or less receive additional treatment
The legislation creates an additional distinction for devices with power output of no more than 391 watts. According to the final enacted legislation, systems within that threshold are exempt from specified photovoltaic installation requirements and building-safety or product-listing provisions that would otherwise require alterations to a building’s electrical wiring.
That exemption does not mean every portable solar installation is exempt from safety requirements. The legislation separately requires portable-scale devices to comply with applicable fire-code requirements and building-code provisions relating to health and safety.
Systems above the 391-watt threshold but within the broader 1,920-watt definition may therefore face different installation requirements depending on their configuration and applicable codes.
Colorado is also changing rules around meter collar adapters
HB26-1007 reaches beyond portable solar. It directs changes involving meter collar adapters, devices installed between an electric meter and meter socket that can simplify the connection of customer-sited energy equipment.
The Colorado Legislative Council’s final fiscal analysis says the law requires the Public Utilities Commission to revise existing rules so PUC-regulated utilities, municipally owned utilities and cooperative electric associations explicitly allow individuals to own and use meter collar adapters.
The required rules must also prohibit utilities from requiring a separate production meter as a condition of connecting a customer-sited distributed energy resource when the applicable statutory requirements are met.
The commission is directed to revise those rules by Dec. 31, 2026, meaning part of the broader distributed-energy implementation process will continue after the law’s Aug. 12 effective date.
The change could lower barriers for smaller distributed resources
Traditional residential solar projects can require permitting, electrical work, interconnection review and permanent installation. Portable-scale solar is intended to create another category for substantially smaller systems.
That distinction could be particularly relevant for customers who cannot install conventional rooftop arrays because of cost, property configuration or housing arrangements.
However, the legislation does not guarantee that every customer can immediately connect any commercially available portable solar product. Equipment must satisfy the statutory definition and safety requirements, while local building and fire codes can remain relevant depending on the system.
Implementation will be the next test
The Colorado General Assembly lists Aug. 12 as the effective date for Chapter 127, the enacted version of HB26-1007. The measure was signed into law May 7 after clearing the House and Senate earlier in the legislative session.
The law now shifts attention toward implementation by utilities, local jurisdictions, equipment manufacturers and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.
Among the issues worth watching are how utilities establish customer-notification procedures, which products satisfy applicable testing and listing requirements, how local authorities interpret installation provisions for larger portable systems, and how meter collar adapter rules are implemented by the end of the year.
Jonas Muthoni is Editor-in-Chief of Microgrid Media, where he oversees reporting and analysis on microgrids, energy storage, distributed energy resources, data center power demand, grid modernization, resilience, renewable energy, and electricity policy and markets. His work focuses on the infrastructure, technologies, and regulatory developments reshaping the power system.
As Editor-in-Chief, Jonas leads Microgrid Media’s editorial strategy and standards, including story selection, source verification, technical accuracy, and the development of original reporting and analysis. His coverage draws on regulatory filings, government records, utility and company disclosures, technical documentation, and independent industry sources to explain significant developments across the evolving energy system.
