Renewables

Generating Your Own Power: Wind & Solar Interconnection

Thinking about installing solar panels or a wind turbine? Big Horn REA is here to help you safely connect your renewable energy system to the grid.

View Connection Steps

Empowering Your Renewable Energy Journey

We support our members' choices to explore clean, renewable energy. Generating your own electricity through solar panels or small-scale wind turbines is an excellent way to offset your energy footprint.

Because your generation system must physically connect to our electric grid, ensuring safety, reliability, and technical compatibility is our top priority. Whether you are working with a professional solar installer or just starting your research, we are here to partner with you every step of the way.

How Interconnection Works

The Step-by-Step Roadmap to Going Renewable

Connecting a generation system to the grid requires careful planning. Before you purchase any equipment or sign a contract with a solar or wind installer, please follow this standard connection framework:

Initial Assessment & System Design
Work with an experienced, certified renewable energy installer to determine the ideal system size for your property. We recommend reviewing your historical electric usage to design a system optimized for your actual baseline needs.
Review Guidelines & Safety Frameworks
Download and review our Interconnection Guidelines. This ensures your system will feature automatic safety shut-offs, protecting our line crews from hazardous "backfeeding" into the grid during a power outage.
Submit Your Application
Before physical installation begins, fill out and submit the Application for Operation of Customer-Owned Generation alongside your system diagrams to Big Horn REA for technical review and engineering approval.
Execute the Interconnection Agreement
Once approved, both the member and Big Horn REA sign the legal Interconnection Agreement outlining operational requirements and billing mechanisms.
Final Inspection & Meter Programming
After your installer completes the physical build, Big Horn REA will perform a site safety inspection and install a bidirectional meter to properly measure the energy you pull from the grid and any excess energy you push back onto it.

What Happens to the Excess Energy You Produce?

When your solar array or wind turbine generates more electricity than your home or business is actively consuming, that excess energy flows back out onto Big Horn REA’s power lines.

The Bidirectional Meter: Your specialized utility meter tracks electricity flowing in two directions: energy delivered to you and energy received from you.
Avoided Cost Compensation: Any excess energy your system pushes back onto our grid is credited to your account based on our approved cooperative rates. These rates fluctuate based on market conditions and are outlined in our annual document.

Interconnection Portal

Ready to move forward? Click below to download the mandatory technical paperwork, application forms, and current rate schedules.

Interconnection Guidelines & Process – Read this first to understand technical and safety standards.
Application for Customer-Owned Generation – The official form required for system review and engineering approval.
Interconnection Agreement – The legal framework outlining operational responsibilities.
Avoided Cost Rate Schedule – The current year's approved rate for credited member-generated power.

Have Questions? Don't navigate the process alone. Contact our main office at (307) 568-2419 to discuss your project with an engineering specialist before your installer breaks ground.