PREINSPECTION
Q. What happens during my Pre-Inspection Appointment with my Project Manager?
A. Pre-inspection will roughly take 1.5 hours and will involve:
- Roof Inspection
- Attic Inspection (if applicable)
- Assessment of existing electrical house loads (i.e. HECO meter, house breakers)
- Proposed layout of the equipment – please have a decision-maker or someone who knows the system layout must be present.
- Please visit our Pre-Inspection Overview for more information on this process
Q. My project manager just completed my pre-inspection appointment. What will happen next?
A. Your Project Manager will assess the findings with you and determine if any buildability issues could hinder your system's design process. Examples include:
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Meter Upgrade/Meter Replacements
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Re-Roofing
A: Your Project Manager will inform you of the findings and work with your Project Ambassador/Developer regarding the next course of action. A secondary site inspection will generally be required after the Buildability issues have been completed.
A: If no buildability issues are found during your pre-inspection, your Project Manager will work on your Final Design, which will include edited photos taken during your pre-inspection appointment to show where the equipment will be installed. The timeline from the initial pre-inspection appointment to the Final Design completion can range between 4-6* weeks.
A: Your final design will next be submitted to HECO and HOA (if applicable)
BUILDABILITY
Q. My Project Manager informed me I need a Meter Upgrade/Meter Replacement. What happens next?
A. The first step is obtaining a meter permit from the Department of Planning and Permitting.
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If your meter permit has property advisories and cannot be pulled online, we can still submit a “Cost and Requirements” (C&R) request to HECO; however, your permit will need to be issued for work to commence. Meter permits that require Eplans submission may take on average 8-10* months to be issued.
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If your meter permit can be pulled online, we will submit your “Cost and Requirements” (C&R) request to HECO. A HECO planner will then be assigned to your C&R to determine the scope of work for the service upgrade/replacement. HECO’s response time can take a minimum of 3-4* months from the initial request, depending on their current volume. Once we receive your C&R from HECO, we will send you your C&R Packet consisting of:
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C&R Plans from HECO
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Mark up photos of the proposed meter work
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Change Order reflecting the meter work cost
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Q. What if I do not want to proceed with a Meter Upgrade/Meter Replacement?
A. Your Project Manager will discuss the different scenarios if you opt out of the Meter Upgrade/Meter Replacement. However, the Meter Upgrade/ Meter Replacement is typically required to adhere to City and County Building/ Electrical Code requirements and we may not be able to install the system if you choose to opt out. In addition to the code requirements, electrical improvements to your meter can be added into the cost of your renewable energy system and may be eligible for tax incentives* (please consult with you a tax professional for further information)
Q. I received my C&R design and meter work cost from my Project Developer. What do I do now?
A. Please carefully review HECO’s C&R design and scope of work. Sometimes, HECO will request that your main meter be relocated. If you approve and wish to proceed, we will only require 50% of the meter work cost to begin the work. If you wish to be invoiced for this, please let your Project Ambassador/Developer know.
Q. My Project Manager advised me I will need to re-roof for the system to be installed. What happens next?
A. Your Project Developer will be informed and contact you to review options. You may also decide to proceed with a roofer of your choice. After roof work has been completed, a secondary site inspection will be conducted to ensure structural integrity.
HECO APPLICATION
Q. When will my HECO application be submitted to HECO’s Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Program?
A. Your HECO application is initiated and submitted once your Project Manager has completed your Final Design and we have all the necessary documents and information to submit to HECO (typically 1-3 business days).
If any outstanding items are required to submit a completed application, your Project Ambassador will contact you to let you know what is needed. If you are unsure what HECO program you have applied to, please reach out to your Project Ambassador or Project Developer for assistance.
For more information on the various Customer Renewable Energy Programs currently open to apply for, please visit: Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Programs
Q. I am getting emails from HECO (connect@hawaiianelectric.com) regarding my HECO application. Do I need to respond to these?
A. No. RevoluSun’s Operations team will manage your HECO application from start to finish. Because the DER Agreement is a contract between the Customer-Generator (you) and the Utility (HECO), all HECO correspondences will be formally emailed to you. We are copied on all correspondences; you do not need to forward us these emails.
Q. I received an email with the subject “Corrections are required to your application to pass completeness review”. Will this be addressed by RevoluSun?
A. Yes, most of the corrections are handled internally. If we require any information from you, we contact you directly.