Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act
Latest Action: May 12, 2026
Everything you need to know about plug-in balcony solar in Maryland: legal status, tracked bills, statutory wattage limits, utility interconnection rules, and expected monthly solar production.
Current Disposition: Balcony solar legal
Maryland enacted HB 1532 (Utility RELIEF Act, Chapter 353) in 2026. Approved on May 12, 2026, the law took effect July 1, 2026 pursuant to Section 22 of Chapter 353. The law creates a residential portable solar energy generating system category for one device per meter, certified by UL or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory, up to 1,200 watts back to the building, connected through a standard outlet. The electric company may not require approval, fees or charges related to the system's ability to feed electricity back, or extra equipment beyond an automatic locking disconnect switch, which the customer pays for if the system requires one; the customer must notify the electric company before installation and certify the system's safety features and maximum capacity.
Authorized power: 1200W (Maximum output back to the building's electric system; one system per electric meter, residential use only. Output to a standard electrical outlet of 391 W or less is exempt from product-listing provisions that would require premises, wiring or panel alterations). No electric-company approval, fee or charge related to feeding electricity back, or extra equipment beyond an automatic locking disconnect switch the customer pays for if the system requires one; customer notifies the electric company before installation
Latest Action: May 12, 2026
How much electricity will a standard plug-in solar kit produce on a balcony or patio in Maryland? Below are monthly estimates based on local insolation levels:
| Month | Daily Peak Sun Hours | 400W Kit (1 Panel) | 800W Kit (2 Panels) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.5 hrs | 37 kWh | 75 kWh |
| Feb | 4.2 hrs | 40 kWh | 81 kWh |
| Mar | 4.8 hrs | 51 kWh | 102 kWh |
| Apr | 5.2 hrs | 54 kWh | 107 kWh |
| May | 5.3 hrs | 57 kWh | 113 kWh |
| Jun | 5.6 hrs | 58 kWh | 116 kWh |
| Jul | 5.5 hrs | 59 kWh | 117 kWh |
| Aug | 5.4 hrs | 58 kWh | 115 kWh |
| Sep | 5.1 hrs | 53 kWh | 105 kWh |
| Oct | 4.5 hrs | 48 kWh | 96 kWh |
| Nov | 3.6 hrs | 37 kWh | 74 kWh |
| Dec | 3.0 hrs | 32 kWh | 64 kWh |
| Annual Total | -- | ~584 kWh | ~1165 kWh |
Estimates derived from historical National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL NSRDB) solar radiation averages across weather stations in Maryland, modeling an 86% system performance ratio.
Customize system orientation, local utility electric rates, and shade factors with our interactive simulator.
Open Solar Savings Simulator for Maryland →While balcony solar kits are designed for plug-in operation, municipal permitting processes indicate solar-friendly administrative environments:
A movable photovoltaic solar energy generation device that is designed to connect to a building's electrical system through a standard electrical outlet, is primarily intended to offset part of the building's electricity consumption, is limited to supplying a maximum power output of not more than 1,200 watts back to the building's electric system, and is certified by Underwriters Laboratory or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory.
A person may purchase and install not more than one portable solar energy generating system per electric meter, for residential use only.
A portable solar energy generating system is not subject to the requirements of §§7-306 and 7-306.1, is not eligible for inclusion in meeting the renewable energy portfolio standard, and may not generate renewable energy credits of any type.
An electric company may not require a customer using a portable solar energy generating system to obtain the company's approval before installing or using it, to pay any fee or charge related to its ability to feed electricity back into the electric system, or, except as provided in subsection (E), to install any additional controls or equipment beyond what is integrated into the system; the electric company is not liable for any damage caused by the system.
A customer using a portable solar energy generating system shall notify the electric company providing service in the territory where the system will be installed before installation, provide the company a certification of the safety features and maximum generating capacity of the system, and pay for the installation of an automatic locking disconnect switch if one is required.
A portable solar energy generating system with a maximum power output to a standard electrical outlet of not more than 391 watts is exempt from product listing provisions from Underwriters Laboratory or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory that would require alterations to the building's premises, wiring, or electrical panels.
Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 19, and 20 of the Act take effect July 1, 2026.
7–321. 25 26 27 28 10 MEGAWATTS ON THE SAME PARCEL; AND (A) IN THIS SECTION, “PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM” MEANS A MOVABLE PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR ENERGY GENERATION DEVICE THAT IS: (1) DESIGNED TO BE CONNECTED TO A BUILDING’S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THROUGH A STANDARD ELECTRICAL OUTLET; HOUSE BILL 1532 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 85 (2) PRIMARILY INTENDED TO OFFSET PART OF THE BUILDING’S ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION; (3) LIMITED TO SUPPLYING A MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT OF NOT MORE THAN 1,200 WATTS BACK TO THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OF THE BUILDING; AND (4) CERTIFIED BY UNDERWRITERS LABORATORY OR AN EQUIVALENT NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TESTING LABORATORY. (B ) A PERSON MAY PURCHASE AND INSTALL NOT MORE THAN ONE PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM PER ELECTRIC METER FOR RESIDENTIAL USE ONLY. (C ) A PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM: 11 12 (1) IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF §§ 7–306 AND 7–306.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE; 13 14 (2) IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION IN MEETING THE RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO STANDARD; AND (3) 15 16 17 18 19 20 (D) MAY NOT GENERATE RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS OF ANY TYPE. AN ELECTRIC COMPANY: (1) MAY NOT REQUIRE A CUSTOMER USING A PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM TO: (I ) OBTAIN THE ELECTRIC COMPANY’S APPROVAL BEFORE INSTALLING OR USING THE PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM; (II) 21 22 23 PAY ANY FEE OR CHARGE RELATED TO THE PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM’S ABILITY TO FEED ELECTRICITY BACK INTO THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM; OR 24 25 26 (III) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION, INSTALL ANY ADDITIONAL CONTROLS OR EQUIPMENT BEYOND WHAT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM; AND (2) 27 28 IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY A PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM. 29 30 (E) SHALL: A CUSTOMER USING A PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM 86 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HOUSE BILL 1532 (1) NOTIFY THE ELECTRIC COMPANY PROVIDING SERVICE IN THE SERVICE TERRITORY IN WHICH THE GENERATING SYSTEM WILL BE INSTALLED BEFORE INSTALLATION; (2) PROVIDE TO THE ELECTRIC COMPANY PROVIDING SERVICE IN THE SERVICE TERRITORY IN WHICH THE GENERATING SYSTEM WILL BE OR IS INSTALLED A CERTIFICATION OF THE SAFETY FEATURES AND MAXIMUM GENERATING CAPACITY OF THE GENERATING SYSTEM; AND (3) IF THE GENERATING SYSTEM REQUIRES AN AUTOMATIC LOCKING DISCONNECT SWITCH TO BE INSTALLED, PAY FOR THE SWITCH INSTALLATION. ( F) A PORTABLE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM THAT HAS A 10 11 12 13 14 15 MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT TO A STANDARD ELECTRICAL OUTLET OF NOT MORE THAN 391 WATTS IS EXEMPT FROM PRODUCT LISTING PROVISIONS FROM UNDERWRITERS LABORATORY OR AN EQUIVALENT NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TESTING LABORATORY THAT WOULD REQUIRE ALTERATIONS TO THE BUILDING’S PREMISES, WIRING, OR ELECTRICAL PANELS. 16
SECTION 22. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 19, and 20 of this Act shall take effect July 1, 2026.