Meter Socket Adapters and More - CPUC Decision June 12, 2025
How to track a CPUC Voting Decision and interpret it using modern tools
I had been tracking a CPUC Voting Meeting because it included an item related to meter socket adapters (see my writeup on MSA, aka Meter Collars). The meeting was June 12, 2025, last week, and here is my report
This post has four sections:
The Basics of a Voting Meeting
What was voted
Some tricks I used to interpret the results of the meeting, and
Things I learned
Note! Some links are flakey. Blame Oracle, sorry.
Basics of a Voting Meeting
Voting Meetings
The CPUC makes decisions in Voting Meetings where commissioners vote on specific items; here is the list of 2025 Voting Meetings including locations, dates and an official agenda number. Most meetings are either in San Francisco or in Sacramento but some are in other locations in California.
Public can attend in person and comment at the beginning of the meetings but these meetings are also webcasted and recorded and can be attended virtually, and comments can be phoned in. Comments on a specific proceeding can also be provided in writing through its docket (also see my writeup on CPUC Proceedings).
Agenda
The agenda of a meeting lists all the items that will be voted; that for June 12th is Agenda 3564. Once an Agenda has been published some items can be “held back” to a later meeting; this Hold List can be updated up to the actual meeting (see presentation for 3564)
Warning: the CPUC website has multiple backends and search engines and sometimes some fail, sorry. Check:
Items in a meeting are organized in two groups. The Consent Agenda has items that are voted as a whole, in one of the first acts in the meeting, and the Regular Agenda has items that are voted individually. Any commissioner can move items out of the consent agenda.
Finding the Agenda Item of Interest
To find a specific item start by checking on the latest Agenda and Hold File. Most of the time you can skim through the Consent Agenda and start looking in the Regular Agenda section.
The SMA Agenda Item
I was interested in a specific CPUC proceeding, R.19-01-011 (Docket), on Building Electrification, and this was Item 56, in page 58 of the Agenda. Formal title is “Phase 4 Track A of Order Instituting Rulemaking R.19-01-011”.
The Decision
To find out the outcome of a vote you could watch it real time, skim through the recording to find the discussion of your item, or wait for the official result; here is that of Agenda 3563 which includes a CSV and a PDF.
The vote was 4-0 (Commissioner Baker had to excuse himself). The commissioners make statements before the vote; you can listen to them from the recording - start listening at 1h37m - or check my Informal Transcript (see below).
CPUC followed with a Press Release that includes links to the Proposed Decision, the Fact Sheet, the Docket Card, and the Umbrella area.
Some Tricks
The webcasting platform used by the CPUC is ADMINmonitor, which lacks some key features like close captioning and transcripts.
To locate a specific segment of the meeting you can skim through the public comments - over an hour - and then start looking for your item. The first votes regard the Consent Agenda; item 56 was 3rd in the Regular Agenda.
I generated my transcript by playing the recording (on my phone), using a voice-to-text tool onboard my laptop, and doing some final editing. It worked quite well except for the comments from Comr. Reynolds, who was remote.
The decision is 131 pages - not atypically long for CPUC proceedings. I decided to try some GenAI tools and I settled on Co-Pilot. I fed it the decision and I started asking questions. I kind of knew what to ask but the outcome was surprisingly useful. I am still learning my way but this seems a good approach to help interpret the dense CPUC decisions.
What I learned
I played with CoPilot for a bit and collected what I learned into two documents. One is on the actual CPUC decision, the other is on classes of MSA devices. Below are the two documents with minimal post-processing to show best what CoPilot and I generated. The CPUC Decision document is verbatin. The MSA document has two minor edits: I had to correct the entry on Enphase IQ Collar and I also added an entry for FranklinWH Collar.
CPUC Phase 4 Track A Decision – Summary (June 2025)
Rulemaking R.19-01-011 – Proposed Decision on Building Electrification and Service Line Upsizing
What This Decision Covers
This CPUC decision revises policies that often require expensive service upgrades when homes electrify. It streamlines access to panel optimization technologies, enhances equity-driven support, and sets clearer expectations for utilities evaluating meter socket adapters (MSAs) and similar devices.
Key Actions and Reforms
1. Equity Incentives for Service Line Upsizing
$5M/year (2025–2029) to help income-qualified customers afford service upgrades.
Utilities will implement this through their existing equity electrification programs.
2. New Device Evaluation Pathways
Extends Resolution E-5194 (Isolating MSA process) to include non-isolating MSAs.
Utilities must:
Evaluate devices for safety and grid compatibility,
Coordinate across IOUs to streamline evaluation,
List approved non-isolating MSAs on their websites within 180 days,
Host installation request portals (like PG&E’s Your Projects Portal).
3. Aliso Canyon Electrification via AB 157
Requires part of the $40M AB 157 allocation to be used for retrofitting homes impacted by the 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak.
Equity-focused and coordinated with broader IOU electrification efforts.
More context: AB 157 Text
4. Standardized Reporting Requirements
Utilities must submit annual implementation reports by April 15.
Reports detail spending, outcomes, and device impact metrics — and will be posted to the CPUC’s Building Decarbonization page.
5. Tenant Protection Requirements
Required for any incentives related to service upgrades.
Includes protections against displacement and rent increases due to electrification.
Smart Meter Data: 15-Minute Interval Demand
Why It Matters
Smart meter interval data enables:
Load calculations for avoiding service upgrades under NEC 220.87,
More accurate retrofit planning for solar, EVs, and batteries.
CPUC’s Decision
Did not mandate placing 15-minute demand data on bills (due to cost and infrastructure limitations).
Required utilities to file a Compliance Report within 90 days, addressing:
Meter hardware capabilities,
Green Button / portal access options (e.g., PG&E Green Button Connect),
Utility-specific plans for enabling customer access without burdening call centers.
Meter Socket Adapters & Smart Electrification Devices
Field Guide – June 2025 Edition (with Links)
A curated reference for contractors, developers, and policy leads tracking utility-interactive electrification hardware.
Device Categories & Definitions
1. Isolating MSAs
Devices that can disconnect the home from the grid, supporting backup and resilience. Evaluated under CPUC Resolution E-5194.
Examples:
Tesla Backup Switch – ✅ PG&E-approved isolating MSA. Allows automatic islanding with Powerwall systems.
ConnectDER IslandDER – Isolating MSA announced in 2024 with islanding functionality for solar, EVs, and batteries. Undergoing evaluation.
[MANUAL ADDED] Enphase IQ Meter Collar can also work as Isolating MSA.
2. Non-Isolating MSAs
Always grid-connected. Simplify PV and EV installs without panel upgrades. Now subject to utility safety evaluation under CPUC’s 2025 policy update.
Examples:
ConnectDER Solar Adapter – Standard plug-in solar adapter for rapid PV interconnection.
ConnectDER with EV – Adds Level 2 EV charging with internal load monitoring and circuit protection.
SDG&E Renewable Meter Adapter (RMA) – Utility-designed plug-in for rooftop solar, 60A breaker included.
Enphase IQ Meter Collar – Pending PG&E approval as of mid-2025. Designed to simplify Enphase storage installs.
3. Grid-Interactive Devices (Beyond MSAs)
Operate at or near the meter to orchestrate load, manage service limits, or enable demand shaping.
Example:
SPAN Edge – Piloted by PG&E. Provides Dynamic Service Rating (DSR), real-time utility coordination, and grid-friendly load dispatch.
4. Ecosystem-Integrated Devices
Not MSAs, but serve similar functions when used with a specific solar/storage ecosystem.
Example:
SolarEdge Meter Collar – Accessory for SolarEdge Gen3 inverter platform. Accelerates full-home backup installs without panel upgrades.
⚙️ Utility Approval & Status Summary
Would you consider this a good decision? Seems so… right?