An EDC shall use the Level 2 review procedure for interconnection
requests that meet the Level 2 criteria in Section
466.80(b).
An EDC may not impose additional requirements for Level 2 reviews that are not
specifically authorized under this Section unless the applicant agrees.
a) The EDC shall evaluate the potential for
adverse system impacts using the following screens, which shall be satisfied:
1) Until December 31, 2023, for interconnection of
a proposed DER facility to a radial distribution circuit, the aggregate export
capacity of the DER facilities connected to the distribution circuit, including the
proposed DER facility, may not exceed 100% of the minimum load (or 15% of the
maximum load if minimum data are unavailable) normally supplied by the distribution
circuit or line section. After December 31, 2023, for interconnection of a proposed
DER facility to a radial distribution circuit, the aggregate export capacity of the
DER facilities connected to the distribution circuit, including the proposed DER
facility, may not exceed 100% of the minimum load normally supplied by the
distribution circuit or line section.
2)
For interconnection of a proposed DER facility to the load side of spot network
protectors, the proposed DER facility shall utilize an inverter-based equipment
package. The customer interconnection equipment proposed for the DER facility must
be lab-certified and, when aggregated with other generation, the nameplate capacity
may not exceed 5% of a spot network's maximum load.
3) The proposed DER facility, in aggregate with
other generation on the distribution circuit, may not contribute more than 10% to
the distribution circuit's maximum fault current at the point on the primary line
nearest the point of interconnection.
4)
The proposed DER facility, in aggregate with other generation on the distribution
circuit, shall not cause any distribution protective devices and equipment including
substation breakers, fuse cutouts, and line reclosers, or other customer equipment
on the electric distribution system to be exposed to fault currents exceeding 90% of
their short circuit interrupting capability. However, if fault currents exceed 100%
of the EDC's equipment short circuit interrupting capability even without the DER
being interconnected, the EDC shall replace the equipment at its own expense, and
interconnection may proceed under Level 2.
5) When a customer-generator facility is to be
connected to 3-phase, 3-wire primary EDC distribution lines, a 3-phase or
single-phase generator shall use a phase-to-phase primary connection. This screen
does not apply to DER facilities with a nameplate capacity below 11 kVA.
6) When a customer-generator facility is to be
connected to 3-phase, 4-wire primary EDC distribution lines, a 3-phase or
single-phase generator shall use a grounded line-to-neutral primary connection. This
screen does not apply to DER facilities with a nameplate capacity below 11
kVA.
7) When the proposed DER facility
is to be interconnected on single-phase shared secondary line, the aggregate export
capacity on the shared secondary line, including the proposed DER facility, may not
exceed 20 kVA. In the instance where the proposed DER facility is below 100 kVA and
uses acceptable means for controlling export as set forth in Section 466.75, the
export capacity of the proposed DER facility will be used.
8) When a proposed DER facility is single-phase
and is to be interconnected on a center tap neutral of a 240 volt service, its
addition may not create an imbalance between the two sides of the 240 volt service
of more than 20% of the nameplate kVA rating of the service transformer.
9) The nameplate capacity of a DER facility, in
aggregate with other DER facilities' nameplate capacity interconnected to the
distribution side of a substation transformer feeding the circuit where the DER
facility proposes to interconnect, may not exceed 10 MVA in an area where there are
known or posted transient stability limitations to generating units located in the
general electrical vicinity.
b) The Level 2 interconnection shall use the
following procedures:
1) The applicant submits an
interconnection request using the appropriate form and the Level 2 application fee
(see Appendix C).
2) Within 10 business
days after receiving the interconnection request, the EDC shall inform the applicant
as to whether the interconnection request is complete. If the request is incomplete,
the EDC shall specify what materials are missing and the applicant has 10 business
days to provide the missing information or the interconnection request shall be
deemed withdrawn.
3) After an
interconnection request is deemed complete, the EDC shall assign a queue position
based upon the date that the interconnection request is determined to be complete.
The EDC shall then inform the applicant of its queue position.
4) If, after determining that the interconnection
request is complete, the EDC determines that it needs additional information to
evaluate the DER facility's adverse system impact, it shall request this
information. The EDC may not restart the review process or alter the applicant's
queue position because it requires the additional information. The EDC can extend
the time to finish its evaluation only to the extent of the delay required for
receipt of the additional information. In order to withdraw an interconnection
request, the EDC must first send a notification to the applicant of its intent to
withdraw, and the applicant must not have sent the information requested by the EDC
within 5 business days after receipt of the notice.
5) Within 20 business days after the EDC notifies
the applicant it has received a completed interconnection request, the EDC shall:
A) Evaluate the interconnection request using the
Level 2 screening criteria.
B) Provide
the applicant with the EDC's evaluation, including a written technical explanation.
If one or more screens are not passed, the EDC shall provide, in writing, the
specific screens that the application failed, including the technical reason for
failure. The EDC shall provide information and detail about the specific system
threshold or limitation causing the application to fail the screen. If an EDC does
not have a record of receipt of the interconnection request and the applicant can
demonstrate that the original interconnection request was delivered, the EDC shall
expedite its review to complete the evaluation of the interconnection request within
20 business days after the applicant's demonstration.
c) When an EDC determines that the
interconnection request passes the Level 2 screening criteria contained in
subsection (a), the interconnection request passes the Supplemental Review contained
in subsection (f), or the EDC determines that the DER facility can be interconnected
safely and will not cause adverse system impacts, even if it fails one or more of
the Level 2 screening criteria, it shall provide the applicant with a standard DER
interconnection agreement (see Appendix D) within the following timeframes:
1) If the proposed interconnection requires no
construction of facilities by the EDC on its own system, the interconnection
agreement shall be provided within 5 business days after the notification of Level 2
review results.
2) If the proposed
interconnection requires only minor system modifications, the EDC shall notify the
applicant of the required minor system modifications when it provides the Level 2
results. The applicant must inform the EDC if the applicant elects to continue the
application and pay the fee specified in the EDC's tariff. If the applicant makes
such an election, the EDC shall provide to the applicant the interconnection
agreement, along with a non-binding good faith cost estimate and construction
schedule for the required upgrades within 30 business days after the EDC receives
such an election and the payment of the fee.
3) If the proposed interconnection requires more
than minor system modifications, the EDC shall notify the applicant of that
requirement when it provides the Level 2 or supplemental review results. The
applicant must inform the EDC if the applicant elects to continue the application.
If the applicant makes such an election, the EDC may elect to:
A) provide a standard DER interconnection
agreement (see Appendix D), along with a non-binding good faith cost estimate and
construction schedule for the required upgrades within 45 business days after the
EDC receives such an election and the applicant pays the fee specified in the EDC's
tariff; or
B) notify the applicant that
an interconnection facilities study under Section
466.120(e)(3)
must be performed to determine the necessary upgrades. If the applicant elects to
proceed with an interconnection facilities study, the EDC shall proceed with the
interconnection facilities study according to the timeframes and process in Section
466.120(e)(3).
d) Within 30 business days
after receipt of the standard DER interconnection 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, the interconnection request shall be deemed
withdrawn unless the applicant requests a 15-business-day extension in writing. The
initial request for extension may not be denied by the EDC. When the EDC constructs
an additional review under the provisions of subsection (f), the interconnection of
the DER facility shall proceed according to milestones agreed to by the parties in
the standard DER interconnection agreement.
e) The DER facility is not permitted to operate
until:
1) All requirements in the standard DER
interconnection agreement are satisfied;
2) The DER facility is approved by the electric
code officials with jurisdiction over the interconnection;
3) The applicant provides a certificate of
completion (see Appendix B) 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 D.
f) When a DER
facility fails to meet one or more of the Level 2 screens contained in subsection
(a), the EDC shall provide the applicant the opportunity to amend its application
one time to address the screen failure and offer to perform a supplemental review in
accordance with the following subsections and provide the applicant with a
non-binding estimate for the costs of the supplemental review. If the applicant
chooses to amend the application to address the specific screens that failed, the
applicant must submit updated application materials demonstrating the redesign
within 10 business days after receiving the screen results from the EDC. If the
applicant chooses to have a supplemental review performed, the EDC shall undertake
the supplemental review only after the applicant pays for the supplemental review.
1) If the applicant accepts the offer of a
supplemental review, the applicant shall agree in writing and pay the amount of the
EDC's good faith estimate of the costs of that review, both within 15 business days
after the offer. If the written agreement and payment have not been received by the
EDC within that timeframe, the interconnection request shall be considered withdrawn
by the applicant.
2) The applicant may
specify the order in which the EDC will complete the screens in this
Section.
3) The applicant shall be
responsible for the EDC's actual costs for conducting the supplemental review. The
applicant must pay any additional costs that exceed the good faith estimate within
20 business days after receipt of the invoice or resolution of any dispute. If the
initial payment exceeds the invoiced actual costs, the EDC will return that excess
within 20 business days after the invoice without interest.
4) Within 30 business days following receipt of
the payment for a supplemental review, the EDC shall perform a supplemental review
using the screens set forth in this subsection (f)(4); notify in writing the
applicant of the results; and include with the notification copies of the analysis
and data underlying the EDC's determinations under the screens.
A) Minimum Load Screen
When 12 months of line section minimum load data (including onsite
load but not station service load served by the proposed DER facility) are
available, the aggregate export capacity of the generating facility on the line
section is less than 100% of the minimum load for all line sections bounded by
automatic sectionalizing devices upstream of the proposed DER facility. If minimum
load data is not available, the EDC shall include the reasons that it is unable to
determine minimum load in its supplemental review results notification under this
Section. This screen does not apply to non-exporting systems or those that are
proposing to add no new export capacity.
i)
The type of generation used by the proposed DER facility will be taken into account
when determining circuit or line section minimum load relevant to the application of
this screen. Solar PV generation systems with no energy 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. The EDC shall apply this screen using the operating profile and system
design designated in the interconnection request and accompanying attachments. For
example, the EDC shall evaluate the maximum export capacity during the hours of the
day designated by the customer as operational and shall take into account any export
controls.
ii) Only the net injection
into the EDC's electric system will be considered as part of the aggregate export
capacity. In the instance where the proposed DER facility uses acceptable means for
controlling export as set forth in Section 466.75, only the net power injection into
the EDC's electric system will be considered as part of the aggregate export
capacity.
iii) For evaluating this
screen, the EDC will not include as part of the aggregate export capacity any
existing DER facility export capacity already reflected in the minimum load
data.
B) Voltage and Power
Quality Screen
The project, considered in aggregate with existing generation, must
meet the following requirements: the voltage regulation can be maintained in
compliance with relevant requirements under all system conditions; the voltage
fluctuation is within the EDC's acceptable limits; and the harmonic levels meet
limits recommended by IEEE Standard 519-2014: Recommended Practice and Requirements
for Harmonic Control in Electric Power Systems.
C) Safety and Reliability Screen
The location of the proposed DER facility and the aggregate
generation capacity on the line section do not create impacts to safety or
reliability that cannot be adequately addressed without application of the Level 4
process. The EDC shall give due consideration to the following and other factors in
determining potential impacts to safety and reliability in applying this
screen:
i) whether the line section has
significant minimum loading levels dominated by a small number of customers (e.g.,
several large commercial customers);
ii)
whether the loading along the line section is uniform or even;
iii) whether the proposed DER 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 main line rated for normal and emergency ampacity;
iv) whether the proposed DER 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;
v) whether operational flexibility
is reduced by the proposed DER facility, such that transfer of the line section of
the DER facility to a neighboring distribution circuit/substation may trigger
overloads or voltage issues; and
vi)
whether the proposed DER facility employs equipment or systems certified by a
nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL) to address technical issues such as,
but not limited to, islanding, reverse power flow or voltage quality.
5) If the proposed
interconnection passes the supplemental review screening in this Section, the EDC
shall provide the applicant with an executable interconnection agreement pursuant to
subsections (c), (d) and (e).
g) If the DER facility is not approved under a
Level 2 review, the EDC shall provide the applicant with written notification
explaining its reasons for denying the interconnection request. The EDC shall
specify which screens the application failed, including the technical reason for
failure, and the data and the analysis supporting the supplemental review. The EDC
shall provide information and detail about the specific system threshold or
limitation, preventing determination of required system modification without further
study. If the applicant chooses to revise the application to address the specific
screens that failed, the customer must submit updated application materials
demonstrating the redesign within 10 business days after receiving the review
results from the EDC and pay an additional review cost. However, this redesign shall
not include an increase in export capacity and shall not include a change in the
proposed location of the DER facility. Increases in export capacity or changes in
facility location shall require a new interconnection request and associated fees.
The EDC will evaluate whether the redesign addresses the screen failure and provide
the applicant the results of this evaluation in 10 business days. This option shall
only be available one time during the screening phase of the Level 2
process.
h) If the applicant chooses not
to redesign the project or the redesign does not result in passage of the screens,
the applicant may submit a new interconnection request for consideration under a
Level 4 interconnection review. The queue position assigned to the Level 2
interconnection request shall be retained, provided that the new interconnection
request is made by the applicant within 15 business days after notification that the
current interconnection request is denied.