Solar with Glendale Water & Power — a municipal utility that kept net metering
Glendale runs its own electric utility, so the state’s NEM 3.0 does not apply. GWP has kept a net energy metering program — excess generation earns a bill credit applied to your account — while sizing rules and interconnection run through its own PowerClerk process. Here is what that means for a Glendale project, and what we file for you.
Get a free solar estimateWhat makes Glendale different
Glendale Water & Power is municipal, so the CPUC’s NEM 3.0 decision does not apply. GWP has kept a net energy metering program: solar customers earn a bill credit for excess generation, applied to the account when it is needed. GWP notes that it no longer offers solar incentives, but continues to make NEM available to customers installing solar.
For homeowners that is a meaningful difference from SCE territory a few miles away, where new systems connect under the Solar Billing Plan and exports are credited below retail. It is also why a Glendale system is often designed differently from a Santa Clarita one, even for an identical roof.
The Glendale rules worth knowing
| Rule | What it means for your project |
|---|---|
| Application platform | Interconnection and NEM applications are submitted through PowerClerk, GWP’s online system, with the plan set attached. We file it; you do not need an account. |
| Sizing | Systems up to 10 kW CEC-AC are exempt from the 110% historical usage cap, with self-certification of need inside the application. Above that, GWP uses 110% of your past twelve months of usage to establish anticipated annual load. |
| Battery storage | On a new solar project, paired storage is included as optional storage inside the PowerClerk PV interconnection application, with the battery data sheets attached. A standalone retrofit uses GWP’s separate Energy Storage Interconnection Application, whose full plan set is forwarded to Building & Safety. Customers meeting GWP’s criteria may install up to 30 kWh of PV-paired storage, and a separate storage meter is no longer required. |
| Review time | GWP states its solar team typically completes the initial review of a PV interconnection application within 3–5 business days. The rest of the calendar is permits, construction and inspection. |
| Billing | Bills are rendered monthly or bi-monthly at the utility’s option; residential solar customers still receive a bi-monthly bill. Solar offsets the kilowatt-hour portion — the customer charge, taxes and fees remain. |
| Program | NEM remains available; GWP states solar incentives are no longer offered. Any installer promising a Glendale rebate should be asked to show it in writing from GWP. |
Sources: GWP — Net Energy Metering program and GWP — residential interconnection guide, checked August 31, 2026. GWP updates its interconnection agreement periodically; we file the version current on your submission date.
How a Glendale project runs
| # | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Design and usage check | Sized to your usage; above 10 kW CEC-AC the 110% rule applies, below it the exemption does — either way the number comes from your history, not a guess. |
| 02 | PowerClerk application | PV interconnection and NEM application submitted with supporting documents; on a new project a paired battery goes in as optional storage with its data sheets, and only a standalone retrofit needs GWP’s separate storage application. |
| 03 | City permits | Plans to Glendale Building & Safety for the building and electrical permits. |
| 04 | Installation | Built to the approved plans by our own crews. |
| 05 | Inspection | City sign-off on the completed work. |
| 06 | GWP approval and meter work | Utility review, metering and authorization to operate. Final payment is due here — not before. |
Our Glendale work, in numbers
How we count: one record per job folder tied to a service address in Glendale. Utility is assigned by city, not verified per address from a bill or interconnection record. Snapshot taken August 31, 2026 — download the breakdown (CSV).
Three Glendale projects
Re-roof, solar and a battery — Glendale, 2025
A Glendale home re-roofed from Spanish tile to composition shingle, then fitted with a SolarEdge system and a SolarEdge Home battery — roof and array as one project under one license.
Six-panel ADU system — Glendale, 2022
Six Canadian Solar panels with Enphase IQ8Plus microinverters on an accessory dwelling unit, passed final inspection. Small systems still go through the full interconnection process.
All-black array on shingle — Glendale, 2025
An all-black panel array with Enphase microinverters on composition shingle — the look most Glendale homeowners ask for when the roof faces the street.
More work in the neighbourhood: all Glendale projects.
Frequently asked
Is Glendale on NEM 3.0?
No. NEM 3.0 — the Solar Billing Plan — applies to California’s investor-owned utilities. Glendale Water & Power is municipal and has kept its own net energy metering program, under which excess generation earns a bill credit applied to your account.
How large a system can I install in Glendale?
Systems up to 10 kW CEC-AC are exempt from GWP’s 110% historical usage cap, with self-certification of need inside the interconnection application. Above 10 kW, GWP uses 110% of your past twelve months of usage to establish your anticipated annual load.
Are there solar rebates in Glendale?
GWP states that it no longer offers solar incentives, while continuing to make net energy metering available. If an installer promises you a Glendale rebate, ask them to show it in writing from GWP before it goes into your budget.
How does the Glendale interconnection application work?
Applications are submitted through PowerClerk, GWP’s online system, with the plan set attached. On a new solar project a paired battery is included as optional storage in that same PV interconnection application; a standalone storage retrofit uses GWP’s separate Energy Storage Interconnection Application, whose full plan set is forwarded to Building & Safety. GWP states its solar team typically completes the initial review within 3–5 business days. We prepare and file whichever applies — you do not need an account.
Can I add a battery to a Glendale solar system?
Yes, and how it is filed depends on the situation. On a new solar project, paired storage is included as optional storage inside the PowerClerk PV interconnection application with the battery data sheets. A standalone retrofit on an existing system uses GWP’s separate Energy Storage Interconnection Application. Customers meeting GWP’s criteria may install up to 30 kWh of PV-paired storage, and a separate storage meter is no longer required. We install Tesla Powerwall, Enphase IQ and SolarEdge Home batteries either way.
My Glendale home has old Spanish tile — can you still install solar?
Yes, and this is common here. Tile can be worked with; the real question is how much life the roof has left. Because we hold roofing and electrical classifications on one license, a re-roof and the array can run as a single project rather than two contractors and two schedules.
Related reading
Sources
Glendale program details come from GWP’s own published solar education and interconnection guidance, checked August 31, 2026. Rules and forms belong to GWP and change on their schedule — we file the version current on your submission date.
Glendale address? Send the bill and a photo of the roof
Two things decide a Glendale project: how much you use, and what shape the roof is in. We check both for free, file the PowerClerk application when you are ready, and put a line-item quote in front of you first.
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Prepared by Cali Energy, August 31, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. GWP sets and changes its own rules, forms and interconnection requirements; confirm current terms with the utility. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St, Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · +1 (323) 844-7777 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)