Fewer U.S. solar projects are reporting delays in their expected online date

Solar power is the fastest-growing source of new electric generating capacity in the United States, driven by large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects built by electric utilities and independent power producers. Delays in bringing these solar projects into operation have been trending down in recent months.

Despite the relatively high number of projects reporting delays in 2024, that year was a record year for U.S. solar capacity additions. Power plant developers added 31 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar PV generating capacity in 2024, which increased total U.S. utility-scale solar capacity by 34 per cent. Delays in solar project schedules tend to be relatively short in duration, and reports of delays are more common than cancellations: less than 1 per cent of planned solar capacity is entirely cancelled in a typical month.

Developers of new power-generating capacity report their project’s initial planned operational date on our Annual Electric Generator Report (EIA-860) survey. Beginning 12 months before a project’s planned online date, we ask developers to provide updates on the status and schedule of the project in our monthly update to that annual survey, the Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory.

Because survey respondents may not anticipate the occurrence or duration of delays, ultimate capacity additions tend to be less than the expected amount that developers report to us at the beginning of the year. In January 2024, developers reported plans to bring more than 36 GW of solar capacity online through December 2024, or 5 GW more than the ultimate 31 GW installed.

Along with updates to timelines, we request that developers also categorize the stage of development: planning, permitting, construction, and testing. Much of the reported delayed capacity occurs at projects that are in the late construction or testing phases just before they come online. These delays are typically only for a month or two.

In our most recent monthly inventory of power plants, developers reported plans to bring 32 GW of solar capacity online in the next 12 months (October 2025 through September 2026). About 5 GW of that capacity is from solar projects that delayed their expected online date compared with what they had previously reported.

Principal contributors: Katherine Antonio, Tyler Hodge