ConnectDER, a developer of meter socket adapters (MSAs) for residential distributed energy resource (DER) installations, announced that its products are now approved for use in Illinois within the ComEd and Ameren service areas.
These approvals simplify and standardize the interconnection pathway for technologies that rely on dedicated electrical capacity at the home, including Level 2 EV charging equipment, which is increasingly constrained by older residential electrical panels.
Illinois joins ConnectDER’s growing list of utility partners, now totaling 47 utilities and more than 30 million serviceable households across the US.
ConnectDER’s MSAs, often referred to as meter collars, provide a plug-in interface at the utility meter socket, offering a direct, utility-approved way to connect EV chargers, solar inverters, and residential batteries without extensive panel modifications.
For EV applications in particular, this approach reduces the need for service upgrades, breaker replacements, or reconfiguring crowded electrical panels, which are common obstacles in homes built prior to the 1980s. A typical main panel upgrade in Illinois ranges from roughly $2,000 to $25,000 depending on the home’s layout and wiring condition, and often adds several days to an EV charger installation.
Installers in the region report that the EV-specific MSA has become a practical method to keep Level 2 charging installations feasible for customers living in older housing stock.
By enabling a reliable 240-volt connection point without reconstructing the service panel, electricians can maintain predictable installation timelines and mitigate the structural uncertainties that older homes frequently present. This can significantly affect EV adoption in markets where electrical service size (not charger availability) is the limiting factor.
Illinois’ approval arrives at a time of growing interest in residential electrification and load flexibility. The state recently passed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, which introduces a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) framework and incentives for distributed resources that can support the grid during peak demand.
ConnectDER’s newest-generation device, IslandDER, integrates components such as a Microgrid Interconnect Device (MID) and Current Transformers (CTs) into a single enclosure designed for solar-plus-battery systems. As utilities evaluate how EV charging, home batteries, and other DERs participate in future VPP programs, streamlined residential interconnection points may become increasingly important for program design and customer participation.
Illinois’ median home age (between 41 and 50 years) makes this approval especially relevant for EV charging availability statewide. Older homes with 100-amp or 125-amp service often lack the electrical headroom required for Level 2 charging, and simplified interconnection options can broaden access to charging for households that would otherwise face major electrical renovations.
The updated approvals allow installers to leverage meter socket adapters where appropriate, providing a path to deploy residential EV charging solutions more predictably and at lower overall cost.
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News