Clay County, MO Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

890 defines a "customer-generator" as the owner of a renewable-energy system no larger than 100 kilowatts, interconnected with the local utility and built to meet the safety, performance, interconnection and reliability standards of the National Electrical Code, National Electrical Safety Code, IEEE, Underwriters Laboratories and any local governing authorities. Subsection 6(1) holds every qualified system to those same national and local code standards, and bars a utility from charging any fee or imposing any requirement beyond what applies to non-generating customers, aside from a manual disconnect switch near the meter.

Subsection 6(2) then draws the line for the smallest systems: a customer-generator whose 10-kilowatt-or-smaller system meets those standards cannot be required to install additional controls, perform or pay for additional tests or distribution equipment, or carry extra liability insurance. For systems over 10 kilowatts, subsection 6(3) directs the Public Service Commission (for investor-owned utilities) or the local governing body (for a municipal utility or rural cooperative) to set the safety and performance standards and the terms for exemption from those extra requirements. Subsection 7(1) lays out the application itself: a customer-generator must submit a wiring diagram and system specifications, the utility must respond within 30 days for systems of 10 kilowatts or less and 90 days for larger systems, and a certification from a qualified electrician or engineer confirming code compliance is due before the system is actually connected. An approved application expires if the customer-generator doesn't complete the interconnection within one year, at which point a fresh application is required.