Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) The
applicant shall submit an interconnection request using Appendix B, along with the
application fee specified in Appendix B.
b) Within 10 business days after receipt of an
interconnection request, the EDC shall notify the applicant whether the request is
complete. When the interconnection request is not complete, the EDC shall provide
the applicant with a written list detailing the information required to complete the
interconnection request. When additional information is required and reasonable, the
applicant and the EDC shall agree on a schedule to provide the required information
or the interconnection request is considered withdrawn. The parties may agree to
extend the time for receipt of the additional information. The interconnection
request is deemed complete when the applicant has provided the required information
or the parties have agreed that the applicant may provide additional information
later.
c) The queue position of an
interconnection request is used to determine the cost responsibility for the system
upgrades and interconnection facilities necessary to accommodate the
interconnection. The EDC shall notify the applicant as to its queue position.
1) If the applicant amends the interconnection
request in a manner requiring that the EDC re-study the feasibility or impact of the
interconnection, the interconnection request shall receive a new queue position
based on the date that it was amended.
2) If an EDC determines that other interconnection
requests may affect the same facilities on its electric distribution system or
transmission system as the DER facility either proposed or being revised in an
applicant's interconnection request, the EDC may study these requests together
without regard to their queue position. If an EDC considers interconnection requests
together because they both affect the same facilities on the electric distribution
system or on transmission networks, the EDC shall notify the applicant of that fact
at the time studies are initiated. If the EDC considers two or more interconnection
requests together, estimated costs allocated to each applicant shall not exceed the
estimated cost associated with the interconnection request had the EDC reviewed the
interconnection requests in sequence.
d) After the interconnection request has been
assigned a queue position, the following procedures shall be followed to determine
how a study review shall be conducted:
1) The EDC
shall offer the applicant the related study agreement forms included in Appendices
C, D and E. By mutual agreement of the parties, the scoping meeting, interconnection
feasibility study, interconnection system impact study, or interconnection
facilities study provided for in a study review and discussed in this Section may be
waived or combined.
2) A scoping meeting
shall be held no later than 10 business days, or on a mutually agreed upon date and
time, after the EDC has notified the applicant that the applicant has provided all
the necessary information. The meeting's purpose is to review the interconnection
request and existing studies relevant to the interconnection request.
3) When the parties agree that an interconnection
feasibility study shall be performed, the EDC shall provide to the applicant, no
later than 10 business days after the parties' agreement or, if held, the scoping
meeting, an interconnection feasibility study agreement (see Appendix D). The
interconnection feasibility study agreement shall include an outline for the scope
of the study and the study's estimated cost. If the applicant does not sign and
return the study agreement within 25 business days, the application shall be deemed
withdrawn and the queue position shall be forfeited.
4) When the parties agree that an interconnection
system impact study shall be performed, the EDC shall provide to the applicant, no
later than 10 business days after the parties' agreement, an interconnection system
impact study agreement (see Appendix E). The interconnection system impact study
agreement shall include an outline for the study's scope and the study's estimated
cost. If the applicant does not sign and return the study agreement within 25
business days, the application shall be deemed withdrawn and the queue position
shall be forfeited.
5) When the parties
agree that an interconnection facilities study shall be performed, the EDC shall
provide to the applicant, no later than 10 business days after parties' agreement,
an interconnection facilities study agreement (see Appendix F). The interconnection
facilities study agreement shall include an outline for the study's scope and the
study's estimated cost. If the applicant does not sign and return the study
agreement within 25 business days, the application shall be deemed withdrawn and the
queue position shall be forfeited.
6)
Interconnection studies that the EDC conducts shall consider all other DER
facilities that, on the date the interconnection study is commenced, are directly
interconnected with the EDC's electric distribution system, have a higher queue
position than the request being studied, or have a valid and active interconnection
agreement.
7) If the applicant signs and
returns an interconnection study agreement, but subsequently notifies the EDC that
it will not continue with its proposed large DER facility project for any reason,
the EDC need not complete the study or provide the applicant with study
results.
e) The following
guidelines shall govern all required interconnection studies:
1) Unless waived by an applicant, an
interconnection feasibility study shall include analyses to identify potential
adverse system impacts that would result from the proposed interconnection at the
applicant's proposed point of interconnection.
A)
The interconnection feasibility study shall include pertinent elements from among
the following:
i) Initial identification of any
circuit breaker short circuit capability limits exceeded because of the
interconnection;
ii) Initial
identification of any thermal overload or voltage limit violations resulting from
the interconnection;
iii) Initial review
of grounding requirements and system protection; and
iv) Description of, and non-binding estimated cost
and construction schedule of, facilities required to interconnect the DER facility
to the EDC's electric distribution system in a safe and reliable manner, including
identification of potential increased expenses due to location, distribution system
assets, or other relevant factors. Cost estimates provided in each instance must be
itemized in line item format and must break down costs by equipment, labor and other
cost categories. The cost estimates must also provide the component parts for
direct, indirect, and other identified cost categories.
B) If an applicant requests that the
interconnection feasibility study evaluates multiple potential points of
interconnection, additional evaluations may be required. Additional evaluations
shall be paid for by the applicant.
C)
An interconnection system impact study is not required when the interconnection
feasibility study concludes that there is no adverse system impact, or when the
study identifies an adverse system impact, but the EDC is able to identify a remedy
without the need for an interconnection system impact study.
D) A study results meeting will be held within 10
business days after study completion, if requested by the applicant. The study
results meeting will be attended by technical representatives of the EDC and the
applicant. The study results meeting shall not relieve the applicant from its
obligations, nor does it toll the clock for the applicant, to take the actions
required by the rules at that point of review.
E) The parties shall use an interconnection
feasibility study agreement, included as Appendix D, unless both parties agree to
use an alternative form.
2)
An interconnection system impact study evaluates the impact of the proposed
interconnection on both the safety and reliability of the EDC's electric
distribution and transmission system. This study identifies and sets forth in detail
what system impacts interconnecting a new or revising an existing DER facility to
the distribution system would have on the electric distribution and transmission
system, if there were no system upgrades.
A) A
distribution interconnection system impact study shall be performed when a potential
adverse system impact is identified in the interconnection feasibility study. The
interconnection system impact study shall include pertinent elements from among the
following:
i) A load flow study;
ii) Identification of affected systems;
iii) A short-circuit analysis;
iv) An analysis of equipment interrupting
ratings;
v) A protection coordination
study;
vi) Voltage drop and flicker
studies;
vii) A stability
analysis;
viii) Grounding
reviews;
ix) Impact on system operation;
and
x) Alternatives for mitigating
adverse system impacts on affected systems.
B) The final interconnection system impact study
report shall provide the following:
i) The
underlying assumptions of the study;
ii)
A summary of the analyses;
iii) The
results of the analyses, including detailed information on any impacts identified,
the drivers and reasons for those impacts, including load, voltage, thermal and
other limitations, as well as the boundaries of the impacts, to the extent
possible;
iv) A list of any potential
impediments to providing the requested interconnection service and information
regarding technical thresholds that drive modifications;
v) Required distribution upgrades;
vi) A non-binding estimate of cost and time to
construct any required distribution upgrades. Those cost estimates shall provide the
component parts for direct, indirect, and other identified cost categories. Cost
estimates must be itemized and must break down costs by equipment, labor, overhead
and other cost categories; and
vii) If
the cost estimate exceeds 50% of the estimated cost set forth in the feasibility
study, a written itemization, by equipment, labor, overhead and other cost
categories, of the component parts that increased in cost and a detailed explanation
for the cost increase.
C) The
parties shall use an interconnection impact study agreement, included as Appendix E,
unless both parties agree to use an alternative form.
3) The interconnection facilities study shall be
conducted as follows:
A) The interconnection
facilities study shall estimate the cost of the equipment, engineering, procurement
and construction work, including overheads, needed to implement the conclusions of
the interconnection feasibility study and the interconnection system impact study.
The interconnection facilities study shall identify:
i) The electrical switching configuration of the
equipment, including transformer, switchgear, meters and other station
equipment;
ii) The nature and estimated
cost of the EDC's interconnection facilities and system upgrades necessary to
accomplish the interconnection; and
iii)
An estimate for the time required to complete the construction and installation of
the facilities.
B) The EDC
may agree to permit an applicant to arrange for a third party to design and
construct the required interconnection facilities. In such a case, the EDC shall
make all relevant information and required specifications available to the applicant
to permit the applicant to obtain an independent design and cost estimate for the
facilities, which shall be built in accordance with the EDC's specifications. The
applicant shall ensure that any third party with whom it shares the EDC's relevant
information and required specifications shall comply with applicable security and
confidentiality requirements.
C) Upon
completion of the interconnection facilities study, and after the applicant agrees
to pay any just and reasonable costs for the interconnection facilities and system
upgrades identified in the interconnection facilities study, the EDC shall provide
to the applicant a standard DER interconnection agreement (see Appendix C) for the
applicant to sign. The applicant has 10 business days to sign the agreement or the
application is deemed withdrawn.
D) In
the event that system upgrades are identified in the impact study that shall be
added only in the event that higher-queued customers not yet interconnected
eventually complete and interconnect their generation facilities, the applicant may
elect to interconnect without paying for such upgrades at the time of the
interconnection, provided that it agrees to pay for the upgrades at the time the
higher-queued customer is ready to interconnect. If the applicant does not pay for
the upgrades at that time, the EDC shall require the applicant to immediately
disconnect its distribution generation facility to accommodate the higher-queued
customer.
E) The parties shall use an
interconnection facilities study agreement, included as Appendix F, unless both
parties agree to use an alternative form.
f) When an EDC determines that it is appropriate
to interconnect the DER facility, the EDC shall provide the applicant with a
standard DER interconnection agreement. If the interconnection request is denied,
the EDC shall provide the applicant with a written explanation as to its reasons for
denying interconnection. If the EDC's written explanation demonstrates that the
interconnection request was denied for valid reasons, the interconnection request
does not retain its queue position.
g)
Within 30 business days after receipt of the standard DER interconnection agreement,
the applicant shall provide all necessary information required of the applicant by
the agreement. The EDC shall develop all other information required of the EDC by
the agreement. After completing the agreement, the applicant shall sign and return
the agreement to the EDC. If the applicant does not sign and return the agreement
within 30 business days after its completion, the interconnection request shall be
deemed withdrawn, unless the applicant requests in writing to have the deadline
extended by no more than 15 business days. The initial request for extension may not
be denied by the EDC. If the applicant does not sign the agreement after the
15-business-day extension, the interconnection request shall be deemed withdrawn
unless a further extension is agreed to by the parties. The EDC shall return a fully
executed DER interconnection agreement within 10 business days. If withdrawn, the
interconnection request does not retain its queue position. When construction is
required, the interconnection of the DER facility shall proceed according to
milestones agreed to by the parties in the DER interconnection agreement.
h) The DER facility is not permitted to operate
until:
1) The requirements of the interconnection
agreement are satisfied; and
2) The DER
facility is approved by any electric code officials with jurisdiction over the
interconnection; and
3) The applicant
provides a certificate of completion (see Appendix A) to the EDC. Completion of
local inspections may be designated on inspection forms used by local inspecting
authorities; and
4) The witness test is
successfully completed if required by the EDC or if the witness test is waived
according to Article 2.1.1 of Appendix C.
