Current through February, 2024
4.600 DEFINITION OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION FACILITY IN
30 V.S.A. §
248
4.601 Purpose.
This rule defines the term "electric transmission facility" and clarifies the class of facilities that fall within the scope of 30 V.S.A. §
248. Facilities that are not electric transmission facilities as defined herein may be subject to review under other Vermont laws, such as 10 V.S.A. §
6001 (Act 250). A determination that a facility is or is not an electric transmission facility under this rule does not represent a finding for any other purpose, including with respect to 18 C.F.R. Parts 35 and 385 (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order No. 888 and amendments).
4.602 Definition of Electric Transmission Facility.
For purposes of 30 V.S.A. §
248, a facility (including, but not limited to, an electric line) is an electric transmission facility if it is any one of the following:
(A) a facility, other than an electric generation facility or an energy storage facility, constructed to be capable of operating at a nominal voltage greater than 34.5 kV line-to-line (19.9 kV line-to-ground);
(B) a facility, other than an electric generation facility or an energy storage facility, constructed to be capable of operating at a nominal voltage equal to or less than 34.5 kV line-to-line (19.9 kV line-to-ground) if it delivers electric power:
(1) to a substation; or
(2) to or from a transmission line, subject to the exceptions provided below in Paragraph 4.603 of this rule;
(C) a substation, including facilities located within the substation at any voltage, subject to the exceptions provided below in Paragraph 4.603 of this rule.
4.603 Exceptions.
(A) An electric transmission facility under 30 V.S.A. §
248 does not include a facility that operates at a nominal voltage of 34.5 kV line-to-line (19.9 kV line-to-ground) and delivers electric power from a transmission line or substation only to individual customers.
(B) "Substation" does not include stepdown or single-customer transformers, as defined below.
(1) "Stepdown transformer" means a transformer, along with associated fuses and sectionalizing switches, that reduces voltage and connects two or more facilities, where none of the connected facilities are electric transmission facilities.
(2) "Single-customer transformer" means one or more transformers and associated facilities that:
(a) serves only one customer;
(b) has a top nameplate capacity of no more than 5 MVA; and
(c) delivers nominal secondary voltage of 600 volts or less.
(C) A "transmission line" does not include a line that:
(1) existed as a distribution line prior to the interconnection of an electric generation facility or transmission line, and
(2) will continue to be operated as a distribution line after such interconnection.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
30 V.S.A. §§
9, 11(a), 11a(b), & 208
