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Pepco has approved ConnectDER’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA for installation in its Washington, DC-area service territory. The company says its EV adapter can provide a connection for home charging at the meter and may avoid some panel upgrades, but specific project requirements and costs will vary.
Pepco, the electric utility serving the Washington, DC area, has approved ConnectDER’s meter socket adapters for installation in its service territory. The approval covers the company’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA products, including an adapter intended to provide a connection for residential EV charging at a home’s meter.
ConnectDER’s devices, also called meter collars, connect to a home’s existing meter socket. The company says the products can provide a connection point for distributed energy equipment without some projects needing a new service-panel configuration or an increase in electrical service capacity. Whether an upgrade can be avoided depends on the home, equipment and applicable installation requirements.
The EV MSA is designed to connect residential EV charging equipment at the meter. ConnectDER says it can make it possible to add a high-power home charger without upgrading an existing 100-amp panel. The source report describes the products as UL-listed and compliant with the National Electrical Code, and says they have received utility approvals in 54 U.S. utility service territories.
The approval is specific to Pepco’s territory; it does not mean every home there qualifies for an installation or that a charger can be installed without review. The source material does not give the approval’s effective date, list any Pepco-specific conditions, or provide pricing or project-level cost figures.
Potentially Fewer Panel Upgrades
Home EV charging can require electrical work when an existing panel or service cannot support a new charger alongside a household’s other loads. A connection at the meter could offer installers another option and, in suitable homes, reduce the scope of work associated with panel changes or service upgrades.
That could affect the cost, disruption and time involved in adding charging, particularly for residents whose homes have limited electrical capacity. Those benefits are not guaranteed by the utility approval alone: installers must still evaluate each property, confirm the equipment and installation meet applicable requirements, and determine whether other work is necessary.
Pepco’s decision also adds a utility service area to the places where ConnectDER says its products have been approved. For residents and installers, the practical significance will depend on the utility’s requirements and on whether the adapter is suitable for a particular project.
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How the Meter Adapter Works
ConnectDER makes meter socket adapters for solar, battery storage and EV charging. Rather than relying solely on a connection made through a home’s electrical panel, the devices attach at the existing meter socket and provide a point of connection for certain equipment. The company positions this approach as a way to simplify some distributed-energy installations.
The newly reported approval comes from Pepco, which serves the Washington, DC area. ConnectDER’s product line covered by the approval includes the Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA. The report identifies Solar Solution, a DC-based installer, as a company using the adapters for solar and EV charging projects.
In a statement included in the report, Solar Solution’s executive director said the devices had helped the company serve some DC residents without expensive electrical upgrades. That is an installer’s account of its experience, not an independent estimate of typical savings or evidence that every installation avoids upgrades.
““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 for Solar Solution
Installation Conditions Still Matter
The source report does not specify when Pepco’s approval took effect, whether the utility has published installation conditions, or what documentation customers or contractors must provide. It also does not include details on product availability, prices, warranty terms or the number of planned installations in the territory.
It remains unclear how often a ConnectDER adapter would let a household avoid an electrical upgrade. That depends on the home’s existing equipment, the charging system selected and the outcome of a site assessment. The approval should not be read as a blanket determination that every residence can support high-power charging without panel or service work.
Project Reviews Determine Eligibility
Residents considering a home charger will need to ask an installer whether the EV MSA is approved and suitable for their specific Pepco-served property. The installer can assess the home’s electrical system, charging equipment and any utility or code requirements before confirming the scope and cost of work.
Further details that could clarify the approval’s practical reach include Pepco’s installation procedures, ConnectDER product and availability information, and project-level evidence about costs and avoided upgrades. Until those details are available, the confirmed development is the utility approval; savings and reduced installation work remain dependent on individual projects.
Key Questions
What did Pepco approve?
Pepco approved ConnectDER’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA for installation in its Washington, DC-area service territory, according to the source report.
How is the EV MSA intended to help with home charging?
It connects at the home’s meter socket and is designed to provide a connection for residential EV charging equipment. ConnectDER says it may allow some customers to add a high-power charger without upgrading an existing 100-amp panel.
Will every homeowner avoid a panel upgrade?
No. The approval does not establish that every home qualifies or can avoid electrical work. An installer must assess the property, existing service and proposed charger.
Does the approval cover all utilities?
No. This development concerns Pepco’s service territory. ConnectDER says its products have utility approvals in 54 U.S. service territories, but the source does not say that every utility has approved them.
Are prices or savings confirmed?
No prices or quantified savings were provided. Solar Solution described installations as less costly and disruptive, but that is an installer’s account and results may vary by project.
Source: chargedevs.com
