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Pepco has approved ConnectDER’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA for installation in its Washington, DC service area. The company says its EV adapter can connect residential charging equipment at the meter and may avoid some electrical panel upgrades; actual suitability depends on each home and installation.
Pepco has approved three ConnectDER meter socket adapters for installation in its Washington, DC service area, allowing the company’s products for solar, battery storage and residential EV charging to be used in that territory. The approval matters to local installers and homeowners because ConnectDER says the adapters can connect equipment at a home’s existing electric meter and may reduce the need for some panel or service upgrades.
The approved products are ConnectDER’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA. Meter socket adapters, also called meter collars, connect to the meter socket outside a home. ConnectDER describes its products as a way to connect distributed energy resources without necessarily changing the building’s existing service panel or increasing its electrical service capacity.
The EV MSA provides a connection for residential EV charging equipment. ConnectDER says it may allow a high-power home charger to be added without replacing an existing 100-amp panel. That is a company claim about what the adapter can make possible, not a guarantee that every home can avoid electrical work. The source report does not give technical limits, installation conditions or details of Pepco’s approval terms.
ConnectDER says its devices are UL-listed and compliant with the National Electrical Code, and that utilities have approved its products in 54 service territories. Pepco is the latest utility named in the report. Those figures and product descriptions are attributed to the company; they do not establish that each product is suitable for every property or installation.
Potentially Fewer Panel Upgrades
Residential charger installations can involve electrical work when an existing panel or service cannot accommodate the added load. If a meter socket adapter is suitable for a particular home, connecting equipment at the meter could offer an alternative to some panel reconfigurations or service upgrades. Avoiding that work could reduce installation disruption, labor and cost, but the source material provides no independent cost estimates or project data quantifying those savings.
The approval also gives installers in Pepco’s territory another product option for connecting home EV charging and other energy equipment. For residents considering a charger, the practical impact will depend on the home’s electrical setup, utility requirements and the installer’s assessment. Pepco’s approval should not be read as confirmation that every household can install a high-power charger without upgrades.
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How the Meter Adapter Works
ConnectDER makes meter socket adapters for connecting distributed energy resources, including solar, battery storage and EV charging. The adapters fit at the existing meter socket outside a home. The approach is intended to provide an additional connection point rather than relying solely on changes to the home’s service panel.
The report says ConnectDER products have utility approvals in 54 U.S. service territories, with Pepco’s Washington, DC area approval the latest cited. It does not list the other utilities or explain whether approvals cover identical products, rules or installation conditions across all territories. Pepco’s approval is specific to its service area and does not imply approval by other utilities.
DC-based solar installer Solar Solution described using the products for solar and EV charging projects. Its comments offer an installer’s perspective on potential savings in labor and disruption, rather than an independent evaluation of results across all installations.
“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 at Solar Solution
Installation Limits Still Unspecified
The source report does not state when Pepco’s approval took effect, provide the approval document, or detail any conditions for installing the adapters. It also does not explain how many DC-area homes could use the EV MSA, which charger configurations are supported, or what steps homeowners and installers must follow under Pepco’s rules.
Whether an adapter avoids an upgrade is a property-specific question. The report supplies no independent technical assessment, installation data, or comparison of project costs and timelines. Readers should treat the potential to avoid panel work as ConnectDER’s stated capability, not a confirmed outcome for every home.
Homeowners Need Site Assessments
Homeowners interested in the adapter will need to confirm with a qualified installer whether their meter socket, electrical system and intended charging equipment are compatible. Installers will also need to follow Pepco’s applicable requirements and relevant electrical codes. The source does not identify a rollout date, a change to utility procedures, or a planned next approval.
Further details that would clarify the approval’s practical reach include Pepco’s installation conditions, product-specific technical limits, and project data on costs or avoided upgrades. Until those are available, the announcement confirms a new utility approval, while the extent of savings and the number of suitable homes remain unclear.
Key Questions
What did Pepco approve?
Pepco approved ConnectDER’s Solar MSA, EV MSA and IslandDER MSA for installation in its Washington, DC service area, according to the source report.
Can the EV MSA eliminate the need for a panel upgrade?
ConnectDER says its EV MSA can make it possible to add a high-power charger without upgrading an existing 100-amp panel. That is not a guarantee for every home; suitability depends on the property and installation requirements.
What is a meter socket adapter?
It is a device, also called a meter collar, that connects at a home’s existing electric meter socket and can provide a connection for equipment such as EV charging, solar or battery storage.
Does Pepco’s approval apply outside Washington, DC?
No. The report describes approval in Pepco’s service area. It does not say that the approval applies to other utilities or territories.
Are cost savings confirmed?
No independent cost figures are included. Solar Solution says the adapters can reduce disruption, labor and complexity on its projects, but the report provides no quantified savings or results across installations.
Source: chargedevs.com
