WINDSOR, Va. (WAVY) — Doug Newton had expected to be using the solar panel system installed on the roof of his Windsor home to save money on his utility bill back in October. However, after the company, Freedom Forever Solar, told Newton he'd be able to use the power of the sun to lower his utility bill within a week or two, he learned that the installation was subject to approval by the local utility — in this case, Community Electric Cooperative. Newton thought he would be able to start cutting his energy bill more than two months ago. "They weren't supposed to put the system on to the house until it had been approved first," Newton said in a Tuesday interview. "So they put the cart before the horse." The system was installed on the roof of his Orbit Road home, but it wasn't doing anything. Community Electrical Cooperative said the initial October application was rejected, and updated applications were rejected twice more. The cooperative said improper equipment, tampering with equipment and incomplete information were the reasons for the rejections. Freedom Forever Solar did not respond to a request for comment prior to posting this story. Freedom Forever finally obtained approval from the cooperative this week, but Newton said inspections are the next step, and it could be another few weeks before his solar panels are turning sunlight into lower utility bills. "I don't expect to get power until at least the beginning of February," he said. The utility membership of more than 12,000 comprises parts of Isle of Wight County, Suffolk and Southampton County, and said it has 164 active solar accounts approved for installation and generation. "We urge our community to conduct thorough due diligence by consulting qualified professionals, reviewing local and state regulations, and carefully evaluating the potential safety and operational impacts on both their homes and the broader utility system," a cooperative representative wrote to WAVY.