Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 9, September 1, 2024
(1) A public
utility must use the Tier 4 interconnection review procedures when an applicant
submits an application requesting Tier 4 review to interconnect a small
generator facility meeting the following requirements:
(a) The small generator facility must have a
nameplate rating of 10 megawatts or less.
(b) An applicant whose Tier 1, Tier 2, or
Tier 3 application was denied may request that the public utility treat that
existing application already in the public utility's possession as a new Tier 4
application. Within ten business days of receipt of the applicant's request to
use the existing application, the public utility will transfer the existing
application to the Tier 4 process and notify the applicant whether or not the
application is complete. If the application is incomplete, the public utility
must provide a written list detailing all information that the applicant must
provide to complete the application. The applicant will have ten business days
after receipt of the list to submit the listed information. Otherwise, the
application will be deemed withdrawn. The public utility must notify the
applicant within ten business days of receipt of the revised application
whether the revised application is complete or incomplete. The public utility
may deem the application withdrawn if it remains incomplete.
(2) A public utility must approve
an application to interconnect a small generator facility under the Tier 4
interconnection review procedures if the public utility determines that the
safety and reliability of the public utility's transmission or distribution
system will not be compromised by interconnecting the small generator facility.
The applicant must pay the reasonable costs of any interconnection facilities
or system upgrades necessitated by the interconnection.
(3) In addition to the timelines and
requirements in OAR 860-082-0025, the timelines and requirements in sections
(5) through (12) of this rule apply to Tier 4 interconnection
reviews.
(4) A public utility and
an applicant may agree to waive the requirement for a scoping meeting, the
system impact study, or the facilities study. The applicant may waive the
requirement for a feasibility study.
(5) A public utility must schedule a scoping
meeting within 10 business days after notifying an applicant that its
application is complete.
(a) The public
utility and the applicant must bring to the scoping meeting all personnel,
including system engineers, as may be reasonably required to accomplish the
purpose of the meeting.
(b) The
public utility and applicant must discuss whether the public utility should
perform a feasibility study or proceed directly to a system impact study, a
facilities study, or an interconnection agreement.
(c) If the public utility determines that no
studies are necessary, then the public utility must follow the requirements in
OAR 860-082-0025(7) if:
(A) The application
meets the criteria in section (2); and
(B) The interconnection of the small
generator facility does not require system upgrades or interconnection
facilities different from or in addition to the applicant's proposed
interconnection equipment.
(d) If the public utility determines that no
studies are necessary and that the small generator facility could be
interconnected safely if minor modifications to the transmission or
distribution system were made (for example, changing meters, fuses, or relay
settings), then the public utility must offer the applicant a good-faith,
non-binding estimate of the costs of such proposed minor modifications.
Modifications are not considered minor under this subsection if the total cost
of the modifications exceeds $10,000. If the applicant authorizes the public
utility to proceed with the minor modifications and agrees to pay the entire
cost of the modifications, then the public utility must send the applicant an
executed interconnection agreement within 15 business days of receipt of the
applicant's agreement to pay for the minor modifications.
(6) If the applicant requests a feasibility
study, then the public utility must provide the applicant with an executable
feasibility study agreement within five business days of the date of the
scoping meeting.
(a) The feasibility study
agreement must include a detailed scope for the feasibility study, a reasonable
schedule for completion of the study, and a good-faith, non-binding estimate of
the costs to perform the study.
(b)
The feasibility study agreement must follow the standard form agreement
developed by the public utility and approved by the Commission.
(c) The applicant must execute the
feasibility study agreement within 15 business days of receipt of the agreement
or the application is deemed withdrawn.
(d) The public utility must make reasonable,
good-faith efforts to follow the schedule set forth in the feasibility study
agreement for completion of the study.
(e) The feasibility study must identify any
potential adverse system impacts on the public utility's transmission or
distribution system or an affected system that may result from the
interconnection of the small generator facility. In determining possible
adverse system impacts, the public utility must consider the aggregated
nameplate rating or export capacity when applicable of all generating
facilities that, on the date the feasibility study begins, are directly
interconnected to the public utility's transmission or distribution system,
have a pending completed application to interconnect with a higher queue
position, or have an executed interconnection agreement with the public
utility.
(f) The public utility
must evaluate multiple potential points of interconnection at the applicant's
request. The applicant must pay the costs of this additional
evaluation.
(g) The public utility
must provide a copy of the feasibility study to the applicant within five
business days of the study's completion.
(h) If the feasibility study identifies any
potential adverse system impacts, then the public utility must perform a system
impact study.
(i) If the
feasibility study does not identify any adverse system impacts, then the public
utility must perform a facilities study if the public utility reasonably
concludes that a facilities study is necessary to adequately evaluate the
application.
(A) If the public utility
concludes that a facilities study is not required, then the public utility must
approve the application if the application meets the criteria in section (2)
and the interconnection of the small generator facility does not require system
upgrades or interconnection facilities different from or in addition to the
applicant's proposed interconnection equipment.
(B) If the public utility concludes that a
facilities study is not required and that the small generator facility could be
interconnected safely if minor modifications to the transmission or
distribution system were made (for example, changing meters, fuses, or relay
settings), then the public utility must offer the applicant a good-faith,
non-binding estimate of the costs of such proposed minor modifications.
Modifications are not considered minor under this paragraph if the total cost
of the modifications exceeds $10,000. If the applicant authorizes the public
utility to proceed with the minor modifications and agrees to pay the entire
cost of the modifications, then the public utility must approve the
application.
(7) If a public utility is required to
perform a system impact study under subsection (6)(h), or if an applicant and a
public utility agree in the scoping meeting to waive the feasibility study and
proceed directly to the system impact study, then the public utility must
provide the applicant with an executable system impact study agreement within
five business days of completing the feasibility study or from the date of the
scoping meeting, whichever is applicable.
(a)
The system impact study agreement must include a detailed scope for the system
impact study, a reasonable schedule for completion of the study, and a
good-faith, non-binding estimate of the costs to perform the study.
(b) The system impact study agreement must
follow the standard form agreement developed by the public utility and approved
by the Commission.
(c) The
applicant must execute the system impact study agreement within 15 business
days of receipt of the agreement or the application is deemed
withdrawn.
(d) The public utility
must make reasonable, good-faith efforts to follow the schedule set forth in
the system impact study agreement for completion of the study.
(e) The system impact study must identify and
detail the impacts on the public utility's transmission or distribution system
or on an affected system that would result from the interconnection of the
small generator facility if no modifications to the small generator facility or
system upgrades were made. The system impact study must include evaluation of
the adverse system impacts identified in the feasibility study and in the
scoping meeting.
(f) In determining
possible adverse system impacts, the public utility must consider the
aggregated nameplate rating, or export capacity when applicable, of all
generating facilities that, on the date the system impact study begins, are
directly interconnected to the public utility's transmission or distribution
system, have a pending completed application to interconnect with a higher
queue position, or have an executed interconnection agreement with the public
utility. If the small generator facility limits export pursuant to OAR
860-082-0033, the system impact study must use export capacity instead of the
nameplate rating, except when assessing fault current contribution. To assess
fault current contribution, the system impact study must use the rated fault
current if the customer provides the relevant information or provide a written
explanation for cases where the utility does not want to rely on
customer-provided data. An example of customer-provided data would include
provision of 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 public utility must provide an
explanation for any cases where the utility does not want to rely on
customer-provided data.
(g) The
system impact study must include:
(A) A short
circuit analysis;
(B) A stability
analysis;
(C) A power flow
analysis;
(D) Voltage drop and
flicker studies;
(E) Protection and
set point coordination studies;
(F)
Grounding reviews;
(G) The
underlying assumptions of the study;
(H) The results of the analyses;
and
(I) Any potential impediments
to providing the requested interconnection service.
(h) If an applicant provides an independent
system impact study to the public utility, then the public utility must
evaluate and address any alternative findings from that study.
(i) The public utility must provide a copy of
the system impact study to the applicant within five business days of
completing the study.
(j) If a
public utility determines in a system impact study that interconnection
facilities or system upgrades are necessary to safely interconnect a small
generator facility, then the public utility must perform a facilities
study.
(k) If the public utility
determines that no interconnection facilities or system upgrades are required,
and the public utility concludes that the application meets the criteria in
section (2), then the public utility must approve the application with 15
business days of completion of the system impact study.
(l) If the public utility determines that no
interconnection facilities or system upgrades are required and that the small
generator facility could be interconnected safely if minor modifications to the
transmission or distribution system were made (for example, changing meters,
fuses, or relay settings), then the public utility must offer the applicant a
good-faith, non-binding estimate of the costs of such proposed minor
modifications. Modifications are not considered minor under this subsection if
the total cost of the modifications exceeds $10,000. If the applicant
authorizes the public utility to proceed with the minor modifications and
agrees to pay the entire cost of the modifications, then the public utility
must approve the application within 15 business days of the applicant's
agreement to pay for the minor modifications.
(8) If a public utility is required to
perform a facilities study under subsection (6)(i) or 7(j), or if an applicant
and a public utility agree in the scoping meeting to waive the system impact
study and proceed directly to the facilities study, then the public utility
must provide the applicant with an executable facilities study agreement within
five business days of completing the system impact study or within five
business days from the date of the scoping meeting, whichever is applicable.
(a) The facilities study agreement must
include a detailed scope for the facilities study, a reasonable schedule for
completion of the study, and a good-faith, non-binding estimate of the costs to
perform the study.
(b) The
facilities study agreement must follow the standard form agreement developed by
the public utility and approved by the Commission.
(c) The applicant must execute the
interconnection facilities study agreement within 15 business days after
receipt of the agreement or the application is deemed withdrawn.
(d) The public utility must make reasonable,
good-faith efforts to follow the schedule set forth in the facilities study
agreement for completion of the study.
(e) The facilities study must identify the
interconnection facilities and system upgrades required to safely interconnect
the small generator facility and must determine the costs for the facilities
and upgrades, including equipment, engineering, procurement, and construction
costs. Design for any required interconnection facilities or system upgrades
must be performed under the facilities study agreement. The public utility must
also identify the electrical switching configuration of the equipment,
including transformer, switchgear, meters, and other station
equipment.
(f) The public utility
may contract with a third-party consultant to complete the interconnection
facilities and system upgrades identified in the facilities study. A public
utility and an applicant may agree in writing to allow the applicant to hire a
third-party consultant to complete the interconnection facilities and system
upgrades, subject to public utility oversight and approval.
(g) The interconnection facilities study must
include a detailed estimate of the time required to procure, construct, and
install the required interconnection facilities and system upgrades.
(h) If the applicant agrees to pay for the
interconnection facilities and system upgrades identified in the facilities
study, then the public utility must approve the application.
(9) The public utility may
contract with a third-party consultant to complete a feasibility study, system
impact study, or facilities study. A public utility and an applicant may agree
in writing to allow the applicant to hire a third-party consultant to complete
a feasibility study, system impact study, or facilities study, subject to
public utility oversight and approval.
(10) The interconnection process is not
complete until:
(a) The public utility
approves the application;
(b) Any
interconnection facilities or system upgrades have been completed;
(c) Any minor modifications to the public
utility's transmission or distribution system required under subsections
(5)(d), 6(i)(B), or (7)(l) have been completed;
(d) The witness test, if conducted by the
public utility, is successful; and
(e) The applicant and public utility execute
a certificate of completion.
(11) If a small generator facility is not
approved under the Tier 4 interconnection review procedures, then the public
utility must provide a written explanation of the denial to the
applicant.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 183, ORS 756 & ORS
757
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS
756.040 & ORS
756.060
