Code of Massachusetts Regulations
225 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESOURCES
Title 225 CMR 21.00 - Clean Peak Energy Portfolio Standard (CPS)
Section 21.02 - Definitions
Actual Monthly System Peak. The highest net demand for electricity in a calendar month in ISO-NE Control Area.
Aggregation. A group of one or more Clean Peak Resources that receives a single Statement of Qualification from the Department under the criteria and procedures set forth in 225 CMR 21.05.
Alternative Compliance Credit. A credit obtained by a Retail Electricity Supplier upon making an Alternative Compliance Payment. Such credit is used to document compliance with 225 CMR 21.07. One unit of credit shall be equivalent to one Clean Peak Energy Certificate.
Alternative Compliance Payment (ACP). A payment of a certain dollar amount per Clean Peak Certificate, resulting in the issuance of an Alternative Compliance Credit, which a Retail Electricity Supplier may submit to the Department in lieu of providing a Clean Peak Energy Certificate as required under 225 CMR 21.07.
Authorized Agent. A person or entity that serves under an agreement entered into by each of the Owners of a Clean Peak Resource for all dealings with the Department and with the NEPOOL GIS.
Business Day. Monday through Friday, exclusive of state and federal legal holidays.
Clean Peak Energy Certificate (CPEC). A credit received for each megawatt hour of energy or energy reserves at NEPOOL GIS that is adjusted by applicable Clean Peak Energy Certificate Multipliers and provided during a Seasonal Peak Period that represents a compliance mechanism.
Clean Peak Energy Certificate Multipliers. Values which, when applicable, are multiplied against Clean Peak Resource's performance, thereby increasing or decreasing the number of Clean Peak Energy Certificates produced in a given time period.
Clean Peak Resource. A Qualified RPS Resource, a Qualified Energy Storage System or a Demand Response Resource that generates, dispatches or discharges electricity to the electric distribution system during Seasonal Peak Periods, or alternatively, reduces load on said system during said periods.
Clean Peak Seasons. The four seasons of the year as established in 225 CMR 21.05.
Commercial Operation Date. The date that a Clean Peak Resource first produces or provides electrical energy for sale. In the case of a Clean Peak Resource that is connected to the End-use Customer's side of the electric meter, the date on which the local Distribution Company grants approval for the Clean Peak Resource to interconnect with the grid. In the case of a Demand Response Resource, the date on which the resource first changes electric usage.
Compliance Filing. A document filed annually by a Retail Electricity Supplier with the Department documenting compliance with 225 CMR 21.07, consistent with the format set forth in the Guidelines and submitted no later than the first day of July, or the first Business Day thereafter, of the subsequent Compliance Year.
Compliance Year. A calendar year beginning January 1st and ending December 31st, for which a Retail Electricity Supplier must demonstrate that it has met the requirements of 225 CMR 21.07 and 21.08.
Contracted Resource. A Clean Peak Resource that:
(a) Has received a Statement of Qualification as a Solar Tariff Generation Unit pursuant to 225 CMR 20.00; or
(b) Has a contract with a Distribution Company that has been approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities pursuant to St. 2008, c. 169, §§ 83, 83A or 83C.
Control Area. A geographic region in which a common generation control system is used to maintain scheduled interchange of electrical energy within and without the region.
Demand Response Resource. A resource that has received a Statement of Qualification from the Department, which changes electric usage by retail end-use customers in the Commonwealth from their normal consumption patterns in response to:
(i) changes in the price of electricity over time including, but not limited to, time-of-use rates for residential and small commercial and industrial customers; or
(ii) incentive payments designed to induce lower electricity use at times of high wholesale market prices or when system reliability is jeopardized.
Department. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, established by M.G.L. c. 25A.
Distribution Company. A company engaging in the distribution of electricity or owning, operating or controlling distribution facilities as defined in M.G.L. c. 164, § 1; provided, however, a Distribution Company shall not include a municipal lighting plant established pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L c. 164.
Distribution System. The electric system, owned and operated by a Distribution Company and/or a municipal lighting plant typically operated at voltages below 69 kilovolts, which provides distribution service as defined in M.G.L. c. 164, § 1.
DPU. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, established by M.G.L. c. 25, § 1.
End-use Customer. A person or entity in Massachusetts that purchases electrical energy from a Distribution Company.
Existing Resource. A Clean Peak Resource that has a Commercial Operation Date before January 1, 2019.
Generation Attribute. Means a Generation Attribute, as defined in 225 CMR 14.02: Definitions.
GIS Certificate. An electronic record produced by the NEPOOL GIS that identifies Generation Attributes of each MWh accounted for in the NEPOOL GIS.
Guideline. A set of clarifications, interpretations, and procedures, including forms, developed by the Department to assist in compliance with the requirements of 225 CMR 21.00. The Department may issue new or revised Guidelines. Each Guideline shall be effective on its date of issuance or on such date as is specified therein, except as otherwise provided in 225 CMR 21.00.
Hour of Actual Monthly System Peak. The hour in which the Actual Monthly System Peak occurs.
Interconnection Service Agreement. The agreement for interconnection service entered into between the interconnecting customer and a Distribution Company, as defined and provided in each Distribution Company's standards for interconnection of distributed generation.
ISO-NE. ISO New England Inc., the independent system operator for New England, the regional transmission organization for most of New England, which is authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to exercise for the New England Control Area the functions required pursuant to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Order No. 2000 and corresponding regulations.
ISO-NE Control Area. The Control Area for which the ISO-NE is responsible.
Kilowatt (kW). A unit of power equal to one thousand watts, as measured in alternating current (AC).
Kilowatt-hour (kWh). A unit of electrical energy or work equivalent to one thousand watts of power operating for one hour.
Market Supply. The percentage resulting from dividing the number of Clean Peak Energy Certificates produced in a compliance year by the total market obligation of Retail Electricity Suppliers for said compliance year.
Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center (MassCEC). The center established by M.G.L. c. 23J, § 2.
Megawatt (MW). A unit of power equal to one million watts, as measured in alternating current (AC).
Megawatt-hour (MWh). A unit of electrical energy or work equivalent to one million watts of power operating for one hour.
NEPOOL GIS. The NEPOOL Generation Information System, which includes a generation information database and certificate system, operated by the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL), its designee or successor entity, that accounts for generation attributes of electrical energy consumed within, imported into, or exported from the ISO-NE Control Area.
Net Demand. The amount of electric power needed to supply electric load at a specific time and place after all behind-the-meter energy generation and consumption has been accounted.
On-site Load. Any new or existing electric load located at the site of a Clean Peak Resource, including any parasitic load that may result from the installation of the Clean Peak Resource, and in the case of Qualified RPS Resource or Qualified Energy Storage System, that is wired to receive a portion of the electrical energy output from the Clean Peak Resource before the balance of such output passes through the Clean Peak Resource's metered interconnection onto the electric grid.
Operator. Any person or entity that has charge or control of a Clean Peak Resource subject to 225 CMR 21.00 including, without limitation, a duly authorized agent or lessee of the Owner, or a duly authorized independent contractor.
Owner. Any person or entity who, alone or in conjunction with others, has legal ownership, a leasehold interest, or effective control over the real property or property interest upon which a Clean Peak Resource is located, or the airspace above said real property including without limitation, a duly authorized agent of the Owner. For the purposes of 225 CMR 21.02, Owner does not mean a person or entity holding legal title or security interest solely for the purpose of providing financing.
Program Administrator. An entity designated by the Department to assist in the implementation of the Clean Peak Standard including, but not limited to, the MassCEC or another party as designated by the Department.
Qualified Energy Storage System. An energy storage system, as defined in M.G.L. c. 164, § 1, that commenced commercial operation or provided incremental new capacity at an existing energy storage system on or after January 1, 2019 that has received a Statement of Qualification from the Department; provided, however, that such system operates primarily to store and discharge renewable energy.
Qualified RPS Resource. A renewable energy generating source, as defined in M.G.L. c. 25A, §§ 11F(c) or (d) that has received a Statement of Qualification from the Department and has:
(a) a Commercial Operation Date prior to January 1, 2019 and which installs a Qualified Energy Storage System at its facility; or
(b) a Commercial Operation Date on or after January 1, 2019.
Resilient Facility. A site which includes a Qualified RPS Resource and may include Qualified Energy Storage and/or Demand Response Resource where the qualified resources improve the facility's energy resilience by enabling the Qualified RPS Resource to generate electricity and provide said electricity to On-site Load when the facility's distribution service is not energized (outage condition). Said on-site generation and provision of electricity to On-site Load enhances the facility's ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions. A Resilient Facility must include On-site Load other than parasitic load.
Retail Electricity Product. Means a Retail Electricity Product, as defined in 225 CMR 14.02: Definitions.
Retail Electricity Supplier. A person or entity that sells electrical energy to End-use Customers in Massachusetts including, but not limited to, electric utility distribution companies supplying basic service or any successor service to End-use Customers. A municipal lighting plant shall be exempt from the obligations of a Retail Electricity Supplier under 225 CMR 21.00 as it is exempt from the requirements of the Clean Peak Standard pursuant to M.G.L. c. 25A, § 17(d).
RPS Class I Renewable Generation Attribute. Means a RPS Class I Renewable Generation Attribute, as defined in 225 CMR 14.02: Definitions.
RPS Class I Renewable Generation Unit. Means a RPS Class I Renewable Generation Unit, as defined in 225 CMR 14.02: Definitions.
Seasonal Peak Period. The time periods during the Clean Peak Seasons when the Net Demand for electricity is typically highest. The Seasonal Peak Periods shall not be less than one hour and not longer than four hours each Business Day in any Clean Peak Season; will be determined on a prospective basis no later than six months prior to the next Compliance Year; shall be revised no more than once every three years; and the Department reserves the discretion to exempt existing resources from adjustments to the Seasonal Peak Periods in effect at the time of their qualification.
SMART ES Resource. A Clean Peak Resource that is an energy storage system which is paired with a qualified Solar Tariff Generation Unit in the SMART Program which receives the SMART Program energy storage adder.
Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program. The solar incentive program established pursuant to 225 CMR 20.00.
Statement of Qualification. A document issued by the Department that qualifies a Clean Peak Resource under 225 CMR 21.00.
Transmission System. The electric system established for the delivery of power over lines that operate at a voltage level typically equal to or greater than 69,000 volts, which provides transmission service as defined M.G.L. c. 164, § 1.
