April Allocations Plagued by Technical GlitchesSolar companies encountered a host of problems some termed “devastating” while trying to reserve their projects through Xcel Energy’s online Solar Rewards system during the month of April 2016.
Because the demand for residential and small commercial solar greatly outstrips the supply, the system typically accepts applications for only a few minutes when the program opens each month. But in April, when capacity for both residential and small commercial programs opened simultaneously, many COSEIA members reported system crashes, error messages, and being told the capacity was full the very minute it was supposed to open. We filed a complaint with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission asking for numerous improvements.