New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 17 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND UTILITY SERVICES
Chapter 9 - ELECTRIC SERVICES
Part 568 - INTERCONNECTION OF GENERATING FACILITIES WITH A NAMEPLATE RATING UP TO AND INCLUDING 10 MW CONNECTING TO A UTILITY SYSTEM
Section 17.9.568.17 - SUPPLEMENTAL REVIEW
Universal Citation: 17 NM Admin Code 17.9.568.17
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A. Agreeing to supplemental review: To accept the offer of a supplemental review, the applicant shall agree in writing and submit a $2,500 fee for the review, both within 15 business days of the offer. If the written agreement and deposit have not been received by the utility within that timeframe, the interconnection application shall continue to be evaluated under the detailed study process unless it is withdrawn by the applicant.
B. Supplemental review screens: The utility shall evaluate the interconnection application using the following supplemental review screens.
(1)
Minimum gross load screen: Where 12 months of line section minimum
load data (including onsite load but not station service load served by the
proposed generating facility) are available, can be calculated, can be
estimated from existing data, or determined from a power flow model, the
aggregate export capacity on the line section is less than one hundred percent
of the gross minimum load for all line sections bounded by automatic
sectionalizing devices upstream of the proposed generating facility. If minimum
load data is not available, or cannot be calculated, estimated or determined,
the utility shall include the reason(s) that it is unable to calculate,
estimate or determine minimum load in its supplemental review results
notification. After December 31, 2023 utility should have minimum load data for
all circuits.
(a) The type of generation used
by the proposed generating facility will be taken into account when
calculating, estimating, or determining circuit or line section minimum load
relevant for the application of Subsection B of
17.9.568.17 NMAC. Solar
photovoltaic (pv) generation systems with no battery storage use daytime
minimum load (i.e. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for fixed panel systems and 8 a.m. to 6
p.m. for pv systems utilizing tracking systems), while all other generation
uses absolute minimum load.
(b)
When this screen is being applied to a generating facility that serves some
station service load, only the net injection into the electric system will be
considered as part of the aggregate export capacity.
(c) Utility will not consider as part of the
aggregate export capacity generation for purposes of this screen generating
facility export capacity known to be already reflected in the minimum load
data
(2)
Voltage
and power quality screen: In aggregate with existing generation on the
line section:
(a) the voltage regulation on
the line section can be maintained in compliance with relevant requirements
under all system conditions;
(b)
the voltage fluctuation is within acceptable limits as defined by Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1453, or utility practice
similar to IEEE Standard 1453; and (3) the harmonic levels meet IEEE Standard
519 limits. If the generating facility limits export pursuant to
17.9.568.12 NMAC, the export
capacity instead of nameplate rating must be utilized in any analysis including
power flow simulations.
(3)
Safety and reliability
screen: The location of the proposed generating facility and the
aggregate export capacity on the line section do not create impacts to safety
or reliability that cannot be adequately addressed without application of the
detailed study process. If the generating facility limits export pursuant to
17.9.568.12 NMAC, the export
capacity must be included in any analysis including power flow simulations,
except when assessing fault current contribution. To assess fault current
contribution, the analysis must use the rated fault current; for example, the
customer may provide manufacturer test data (pursuant to the fault current test
described in IEEE 1547.1-2020 clause 5.18) showing that the fault current is
independent of the nameplate rating. The utility shall give due consideration
to the following and other factors in determining potential impacts to safety
and reliability in applying this screen.
(a)
whether the line section has significant minimum loading levels dominated by a
small number of customers (e.g., several large commercial customers);
(b) whether the loading along the line
section is uniform or even;
(c)
whether the proposed generating facility is located in close proximity to the
substation (i.e., less than 2.5 electrical circuit miles), and whether the line
section from the substation to the point of interconnection is a mainline rated
for normal and emergency ampacity;
(d) whether the proposed generating facility
incorporates a time delay function to prevent reconnection of the generator to
the system until system voltage and frequency are within normal limits for a
prescribed time;
(e) whether
operational flexibility is reduced by the proposed generating facility, such
that transfer of the line section(s) of the generating facility to a
neighboring distribution circuit/substation may trigger overloads or voltage
issues;
(f) whether the proposed
generating facility employs equipment or systems certified by a recognized
standards organization to address technical issues such as, but not limited to,
islanding, reverse power flow, or voltage quality.
C. Supplemental review screening results: Within 20 business days of an applicant's election to undergo supplemental review, the utility shall perform supplemental review using the screens set forth above and notify the customer of the results.
(1)
Failed screens and option to revise
interconnection application: If the proposed interconnection fails any
of the supplemental review screens, the utility shall specify which screens the
interconnection application failed, including the technical reason for failure,
and the data and the analysis supporting the supplemental review. The utility
shall provide information and detail about the specific system threshold or
limitation causing the interconnection application to fail the screen. If the
applicant chooses to amend the interconnection application to address the
specific failed screens, the applicant must submit an updated interconnection
application demonstrating the redesign within 10 business days after receiving
the screen results. The redesign shall only include changes to address the
screen failures or identified upgrades (which could include, for example, the
addition of DC-coupled or AC-coupled energy storage). Increases in export
capacity or changes in point of interconnection are not permitted and shall
require the interconnection application to be withdrawn and resubmitted. The
utility will evaluate whether the redesign addresses the screen failure and
notify the applicant of the results of this evaluation within 10 business days.
This redesign option to mitigate impacts shall only be available one time
during the supplemental review process. If the applicant does not amend or
withdraw its interconnection application within 10 business days of receiving
results, it shall continue to be evaluated under the detailed study process
consistent with Subsection A of
17.9.568.18 NMAC below.
(2)
Approval:
(a) If the proposed interconnection passes
the supplemental screens above and does not require construction of facilities
by the utility on its own system, the interconnection agreement shall be
provided within 10 business days after the notification of the supplemental
review results unless the provisions in Paragraph (2) of Subsection D of
17.9.568.17 NMAC apply.
(b) If interconnection facilities or minor
modifications to the utility's system are required for the proposed
interconnection to pass the supplemental screens above, the interconnection
agreement, along with a non-binding good faith estimate for the interconnection
facilities or minor modifications, shall be provided to the applicant within 15
business days after receiving written notification of the supplemental review
results.
(c) If the proposed
interconnection would require more than interconnection facilities or minor
modifications to the utility's system to pass the supplemental screens above,
the utility shall notify the applicant, at the same time it notifies the
applicant with the supplemental review results, that the interconnection
application shall be evaluated under the detailed study process unless the
applicant withdraws its interconnection application.
(d) If a utility's transmission service
agreement requires that it notify the transmission provider of interconnections
(of any size or beyond a specific threshold as specified in the transmission
service agreement), the utility shall provide the notice to the transmission
provider immediately after it has applied the supplemental review screens. If
the transmission provider determines that it does not need to conduct a further
analysis of transmission system impacts, the utility shall provide the
interconnection agreement to the customer within three business days of
receiving the transmission provider's determination. If the transmission
provider does require further analysis, the utility shall coordinate with the
interconnection applicant and the transmission provider to ensure such analysis
is conducted in a timely manner. If the transmission provider determines that
there are impacts that require upgrades, the utility shall follow the detailed
study process in
17.9.568.18 NMAC for providing the
customer with an interconnection agreement.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Mexico may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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