Solar projects with grid connection in Italy: accepted STMG

Why grid connection drives value

Land can be found and permits can be obtained, but without a connection solution a solar project cannot be built. In several Italian areas the network is congested and new connection requests face longer works or more complex solutions. For this reason, grid secured solar projects in Italy are among the most requested by funds, IPPs and utilities.

A project with an accepted STMG has a defined connection point, a defined solution and a defined cost. That does not remove every risk, but it gives the investor a concrete basis to model timing and capital expenditure.

What an accepted STMG is

The STMG (Soluzione Tecnica Minima Generale) is the grid connection offer issued by the network operator: Terna for high voltage, local distributors such as e-distribuzione for medium and low voltage. The producer must accept it within the deadlines set by the rules. Connection procedures are governed by the TICA (Testo Integrato Connessioni Attive), ARERA resolution ARG/elt 99/08 as amended.

Once accepted, the STMG becomes a key part of the project file. It is then developed into more detailed technical documents and, for network works, into the authorisation of the grid infrastructure. Our guide to STMG and TICA explains each step in plain terms.

Terna or distributor: what changes for the investor

The voltage level depends mainly on the capacity of the plant and on the local network. It affects several aspects that matter in an acquisition:

• Type of works: a connection to the national transmission grid may require a new substation or the extension of an existing one, often shared among several producers.
• Coordination: shared works on the Terna grid may depend on other projects connecting to the same node.
• Distribution grid: medium voltage connections usually involve a cabin and a line to the existing network, with works carried out by the distributor.

None of this is good or bad in itself. What matters is that the teaser and the data room let you understand which case applies.

Two STMG fields in every teaser

Every project in the pipeline is registered with the same standard fields. Two of them concern the grid directly:

• STMG cost: the connection cost indicated by the network operator in the offer.
• Estimated connection days: the time the operator indicates for carrying out the connection works.

The estimated days are a figure taken from the documents, not a promise. Actual timing depends on factors such as the extent of the network works, the authorisation of the grid infrastructure, the voltage level and the operator's work schedule. Read more in our guide to grid connection timelines.

Grid saturation and project selection

Where the network is saturated, operators may propose solutions that involve significant reinforcement works or a connection point far from the site. When screening a project with a grid connection, an investor typically checks:

• the date of acceptance and whether the STMG is still valid under the TICA rules;
• any payments already made to the operator;
• the distance and route of the connection line and the land it crosses;
• whether the network works are shared and with whom;
• consistency between the STMG capacity and the permitted capacity.

These checks are part of your own due diligence. Pipeline.Solar performs a preliminary screening of the data and makes the documents available after the NDA.

How to receive grid secured solar projects

Write to us on WhatsApp or fill in the investor access form. After an introductory call you receive a personal link to the reserved area, where you set stages, minimum and maximum capacity of the single plant, regions, technologies and deal structures.

Projects with an accepted STMG can be at different stages: late-stage, RTB or even greenfield with the connection already secured. When a project matches your range, the staff sends you a teaser from deal@pipeline.solar. Opportunities depend on the projects available at the time, and the teaser always states whether the STMG has already been accepted.

Register and set your criteria to start receiving teasers.