U.S. Solar Projects Face Fewer Delays As Capacity Additions Continue To Rise

Fewer solar power projects in the United States are facing delays in their expected start dates, showing improvement in project execution and timelines. In the third quarter of 2025, around 20 percent of the planned solar capacity reported a delay, down from 25 percent in the same period of 2024, according to data collected from multiple Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory reports. This marks a positive trend for the country’s solar power sector, which continues to be the fastest-growing source of new electricity generation.

The growth is mainly driven by large-scale solar photovoltaic projects developed by electric utilities and independent power producers. Even though many projects reported delays in 2024, that year still saw record-breaking capacity additions. Developers added about 31 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale solar PV capacity, increasing the total U.S. solar capacity by 34 percent. These delays are generally short-term, lasting just a few months, and very few projects are completely canceled. Typically, less than one percent of planned solar capacity gets canceled in a month.

Developers report their project timelines through the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Electric Generator Report (EIA-860). Starting a year before a project’s scheduled completion, developers are asked to provide monthly updates through the Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. However, delays are sometimes not fully anticipated, so the final capacity added by the end of the year often falls short of initial projections. For example, in January 2024, developers expected to add over 36 GW of solar capacity by December 2024, but the final installed capacity reached 31 GW.

The EIA also collects information about the development stages of these projects, including planning, permitting, construction, and testing. Most of the delayed projects are in the final construction or testing stages, indicating that delays are often minor and occur just before commissioning. These short postponements rarely affect the long-term pace of solar growth in the country.

In the most recent inventory, developers reported plans to bring about 32 GW of new solar capacity online between October 2025 and September 2026. Of this, nearly 5 GW comes from projects that have recently shifted their expected operational dates. The consistent addition of large-scale projects, combined with fewer delays and minimal cancellations, shows that the U.S. solar sector remains strong and continues to expand steadily, contributing significantly to the nation’s renewable energy transition.