Service Conductors

Con Edison determines if the building service conductor capacity is sized to accept the full solar export potential.

There are existing service cables feeding into every building that are sized to provide enough capacity to serve the predicted peak electric load of the building. The rated capacity of the service cable will be reviewed to determine if it is capable of handling the export equivalent to the rated PV system size (nameplate capacity).

If the service cable is not big enough to handle export equivalent to the rated PV system size, Con Edison would need to install additional service cables. The cost of this work is highly dependent on factors such as (but not limited to):

• total kW nameplate of designed PV system
• location (for instance, work in Manhattan is significantly more expensive than in the outer boroughs)
• length of the service cable
• space in existing ductwork
• space available for additional/larger conduit in manholes
• underground versus overhead service
• other physical parameters of the building, such as structural issues or building composition

A reverse power relay could be installed to ensure the system does not export, or energy storage could be added to absorb excess power. Back to current process