Strong customer participation and faster interconnections are helping enable the grid of the future

SAN DIEGO, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is helping enable the grid of the future, with more than 350,000 residential customers now generating their own power through rooftop solar – equivalent to more than one in four customers and one of the highest adoption rates in the nation.

In a region defined by abundant sunshine, customers are increasingly choosing to generate their own clean energy, helping shape a more flexible and locally driven energy system. Their participation is helping transform how energy is produced, shared and delivered across the region.

"The energy system is changing because our customers are leading that change," said Scott Crider, president of SDG&E. "Our responsibility is to help the grid evolve with them. That means building a system that can safely integrate customer-generated energy while continuing to deliver the reliability our customers expect. The progress we are making on solar adoption and interconnections is an important part of enabling that future."

Beyond adoption: Operating a more dynamic energy system

The growth of rooftop solar throughout San Diego and South Orange Counties represents more than increased clean-energy generation; it reflects how customers are changing the way energy is produced, shared and delivered across the region.

Unlike a traditional electric system that primarily delivers electricity in one direction, today's grid increasingly supports two-way power flows as customers both consume and contribute energy.

Faster, more efficient solar interconnections

To support continued growth, SDG&E has focused on improving how customers connect to the grid. Through targeted process improvements and coordination across teams, the company has streamlined its interconnection process and consistently exceeded state performance benchmarks, helping reduce wait times and uncertainty for customers pursuing solar projects. On average, customers are now able to complete the interconnection process in about three days. These improvements are helping customers connect their systems more quickly and enabling customer-generated energy to be more easily integrated into the grid.

A more connected energy system

As rooftop-solar adoption grows, customers are not only generating clean energy, they remain connected to and supported by the broader grid. Even with solar, customers continue to rely on the grid to meet energy needs at times when generation is lower, reinforcing the importance of a strong, reliable system – one our customers depend on and that SDG&E has consistently delivered, with 20 consecutive years of being named the most reliable electric utility in the West by PA Consulting. At the same time, more customers are pairing solar with battery storage, allowing them to save excess energy generated during the day and use it later when needed. As adoption grows, these technologies can help support reliability and increase flexibility across the energy system.

The strong adoption of rooftop solar and battery storage across the region reflects a broader shift in how energy is generated and used—one that depends on a modern electric grid to connect customers, balance energy resources and provide reliable service across the region.

Supporting customers

Customers interested in installing rooftop solar can learn more and find information about program options, interconnection requirements and available resources at sdge.com/solar.

About SDG&E

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is an innovative energy delivery company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves across 27 cities and two counties in the San Diego and southern Orange County region. SDG&E is a recognized leader in its industry and community, as demonstrated by being named Corporate Partner of the Year at the San Diego Business Journal's Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Awards and receiving PA Consulting's ReliabilityOne® Award for Outstanding Reliability Performance for 20 consecutive years. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE:SRE), a leading U.S. utility holding company. For more information, visit SDGEtoday.com or connect with SDG&E on social media @SDGE.

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SOURCE San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)