In the third quarter of 2025, according to a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), solar projects representing about 20 percent of planned capacity reported a delay, a decrease from 25 percent in the same period in 2024, based on data compiled from multiple EIA “Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory” reports.

“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,” said the report. “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 percent. Delays in solar project schedules tend to be relatively short in duration, and reports of delays are more common than cancellations: less than one percent 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 the EIA’s “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,’” said the EIA report. 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 five 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,” said the EIA report. “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 the EIA’s 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 five GW of that capacity is from solar projects that delayed their expected online date compared with what they had previously reported.