Utility Grid

A formal agreement with the local utility required before connecting any on-site generation system (solar, generator, battery) to the grid. Sets technical requirements for the connection, establishes metering terms, and may include net metering provisions. Required for all grid-tied microgrid installations. Processing time varies from 2–12 weeks depending on utility and jurisdiction. Prime Microgrid manages the full interconnection process.

An operating state in which an appropriately configured property electrical system is isolated from the utility grid and supplied by local resources such as storage or generation. Island-mode capability, transition behavior, supported loads, and runtime depend on system architecture, approved protective equipment, available energy, and site conditions.

A locally controlled energy system that integrates distributed generation, energy storage, and loads — and can operate both connected to the main utility grid and independently (islanded). A residential microgrid is the application of this architecture to a private property. The defining characteristic of a microgrid is intelligent, coordinated control: components don't just coexist, they are actively managed as a unified system. This is what distinguishes a true microgrid from a generator + battery installed at the same address.