Critical Loop’s Cygnus Advances Flexible Grid Interconnection for California Industry
Critical Loop, an industrial power solutions company, has announced that Cygnus, its software-defined power controller, has achieved official CSIP 2030.5 certification and successfully completed interoperability testing with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). The milestone places Critical Loop among PG&E’s Flex Connect Approved Solution Providers and strengthens the company’s ability to support flexible interconnection for commercial and industrial customers across California.
Cygnus has also secured a UL 3141 listing. According to Critical Loop, the combination makes Cygnus the first power controller on the market to hold both the CSIP 2030.5 certification and UL 3141 listing. Together, the certifications provide customers with a single power-control solution designed for compatibility across different utility environments, including PG&E and Southern California utilities.
The two qualifications serve different purposes, but their combination is significant for Critical Loop’s strategy. The CSIP 2030.5 certification supports secure communication and interoperability with utility systems, while the UL 3141 listing addresses the safety requirements associated with power-control equipment. Critical Loop said that although PG&E interoperability does not require customers to hold both credentials, having both expands the potential deployment environments for Cygnus as California’s electricity system evolves.
The announcement comes as California faces rapidly increasing electricity demand from transportation electrification, energy storage, commercial facilities and other large-load applications. Traditional grid expansion can require lengthy planning, permitting and construction timelines. Flexible interconnection offers another approach by allowing customers to connect using available grid capacity while managing electricity consumption when the distribution system becomes constrained.
Critical Loop is applying this approach to commercial and industrial applications through Cygnus. The controller can dynamically manage power consumption and coordinate behind-the-meter resources according to grid conditions and utility requirements. This enables facilities to operate within defined limits while making greater use of available grid capacity.
“Businesses shouldn’t have to choose where they operate based on power availability,” said Bala Ramamurthy, co-founder and CEO of Critical Loop. “Cygnus was built to help customers and utilities maximize existing grid capacity without waiting years for grid upgrades. Securing CSIP 2030.5 certification and successful interoperability testing with PG&E alongside our UL 3141 listing demonstrates that flexible interconnection is ready for larger commercial and industrial facilities.”
Cygnus is now part of the growing technology ecosystem supporting PG&E’s Flex Connect program. The initiative enables customers with controllable electrical loads to connect to the grid without necessarily waiting for conventional distribution upgrades. Through automated energy management and secure communications, participating facilities can access available capacity while adjusting their electricity consumption during periods when the distribution system is constrained.
The model can be particularly relevant to facilities whose electricity requirements vary throughout the day. Instead of requiring the grid to accommodate a facility’s maximum potential demand at all times, flexible interconnection can establish operating limits and use controllable resources to remain within those boundaries.
Critical Loop’s interoperability testing with PG&E demonstrated the use of behind-the-meter battery storage and intelligent controls to manage commercial and industrial loads under real-world operating conditions. During unconstrained periods, a facility can draw available power from the grid. When demand restrictions become active, on-site battery storage and other controls can help keep electricity consumption within hourly limits established by the utility.
For industrial operators, this approach can provide an alternative to relying exclusively on conventional backup generation or waiting for major utility infrastructure projects to be completed. By combining grid access with energy storage and automated controls, facilities can potentially make greater use of existing electrical capacity while maintaining compliance with utility requirements.
PG&E’s Flex Connect program is already supporting operational projects. The program currently includes five operational sites involving commercial electric vehicle fleets, public fast-charging infrastructure and battery energy storage systems. More than 85 additional projects are in the active pipeline, covering EV charging, battery storage and emerging commercial and industrial applications.
The expansion of Flex Connect into additional large-load applications could create opportunities for technologies capable of coordinating facility demand with utility requirements. Critical Loop said interoperable solutions such as Cygnus can help customers access available grid capacity sooner while longer-term distribution infrastructure projects are being developed.
“Flex Connect is helping customers connect to the grid faster by making better use of capacity that’s already available today,” said Alex Portilla, director, Clean Energy Technology Platforms at PG&E. “Our goal is to enable customers to bring their own solutions while giving us the visibility and reliability needed to operate the grid safely. Critical Loop’s successful interoperability testing demonstrates how innovative technologies can help expand flexible interconnection beyond EV charging into a broader range of commercial and industrial applications, supporting California’s growing demand for electricity without waiting for traditional infrastructure upgrades.”
Critical Loop’s relationship with PG&E also extends to the utility’s innovation initiatives. The company was a finalist in PG&E’s 2025 Innovation Pitch Fest, an R&D program intended to identify and rapidly test emerging technologies addressing operational challenges across the utility system. Critical Loop was selected as one of the finalists from approximately 400 applicants.
With its PG&E interoperability testing completed and its CSIP 2030.5 certification and UL 3141 listing in place, Critical Loop is now onboarding commercial and industrial customers across California. The company is positioning Cygnus as a technology for facilities seeking to manage electricity demand, integrate behind-the-meter storage and use available grid capacity without relying solely on lengthy traditional grid expansion.
As California’s electricity demand continues to evolve, flexible interconnection is emerging as one method for coordinating new loads with existing infrastructure. Critical Loop’s latest certification and interoperability milestones give Cygnus a foundation for participating in that changing market, particularly among commercial and industrial customers whose power requirements could benefit from automated controls and flexible operating strategies.
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