N.J. Admin. Code § 14:8-5.6 - Level 3 interconnection review
(a) Each EDC shall
adopt a level 3 interconnection review procedure. The EDC shall use the level 3
review procedure for an application to interconnect a customer-generator
facility that does not qualify for the level 1 or level 2 interconnection
review procedures set forth at
N.J.A.C. 14:8-5.4 and 5.5.
(b) The EDC shall conduct an initial review
of the application and shall offer the applicant an opportunity to meet with
EDC staff to discuss the application. At the meeting, the EDC shall provide
pertinent information to the applicant , such as the available fault current at
the proposed interconnection location, the existing peak loading on the lines
in the general vicinity of the customer-generator facility, and the
configuration of the distribution lines at the proposed point of common
coupling .
(c) The EDC shall provide
an impact study agreement to the applicant , which shall include a good faith
cost estimate for an impact study to be performed by the EDC . An impact study
is an engineering analysis of the probable impact of a customer-generator
facility on the safety and reliability of the EDC 's electric distribution
system. An impact study shall be conducted in accordance with good utility
practice , as defined at
N.J.A.C. 14:8-5.1 and shall:
1. Detail the impacts to the electric
distribution system that would result if the customer-generator facility were
interconnected without modifications to either the customer-generator facility
or to the electric distribution system;
2. Identify any modifications to the EDC 's
electric distribution system that would be necessary to accommodate the
proposed interconnection; and
3.
Focus on power flows and utility protective devices, including control
requirements.
(d) If the
proposed interconnection may affect electric transmission or delivery systems,
other than that controlled by the EDC , operators of these other systems may
require additional studies to determine the potential impact of the
interconnection on these systems. If such additional studies are required, the
EDC shall coordinate the studies, but shall not be responsible for their
timing. The applicant shall be responsible for the costs of any such additional
studies required by another affected system. Such studies shall be conducted
only after the applicant has provided written authorization.
(e) After the applicant has executed the
impact study agreement and has paid the EDC the amount of the good faith
estimate required under (c) above, the EDC shall conduct the impact study and
shall notify the applicant of the results as follows:
1. If the impact study indicates that only
insubstantial modifications to the EDC 's electric distribution system are
necessary to accommodate the proposed interconnection, the EDC shall send the
applicant an interconnection agreement that details the scope of the necessary
modifications and an estimate of their cost; or
2. If the impact study indicates that
substantial modifications to the EDC 's electric distribution system are
necessary to accommodate the proposed interconnection, the EDC shall provide an
estimate of the cost of the modifications, which shall be accurate to within
plus or minus 25 percent. In addition, the EDC shall offer to conduct a
facilities study at the applicant 's expense, which will identify the types and
cost of equipment needed to safely interconnect the applicant 's
customer-generator facility.
(f) If an applicant requests a facilities
study under (e)2 above, the EDC shall provide a facilities study agreement. The
facilities study agreement shall describe the work to be undertaken in the
facilities study and shall include a good faith estimate of the cost to the
applicant for completion of the study. Upon the execution by the applicant of
the facilities study agreement, the EDC shall conduct a facilities study, which
shall identify the facilities necessary to safely interconnect the
customer-generator facility with the EDC 's electric distribution system, the
cost of those facilities, and the time required to build and install those
facilities.
(g) Upon completion of
a facilities study, the EDC shall provide the applicant with the results of the
study and an executable interconnection agreement . The agreement shall list the
conditions and facilities necessary for the customer-generator facility to
safely interconnect with the EDC 's electric distribution system, the cost of
those facilities, and the estimated time required to build and install those
facilities.
(h) If the applicant
wishes to interconnect, it shall execute the interconnection agreement , provide
a deposit of not more than 50 percent of the cost of the facilities identified
in the facilities study, complete installation of the customer-generator
facility, and agree to pay the EDC the amount required for the facilities
needed to interconnect as identified in the facilities study.
(i) Within 15 business days after notice from
the applicant that the customer-generator facility has been installed, the EDC
shall inspect the customer-generator facility and shall arrange to witness any
commissioning tests required under IEEE Standard 1547 . The EDC and the
applicant shall select a date by mutual agreement for the EDC to witness
commissioning tests.
(j) Provided
that the customer-generator facility passes any required commissioning tests
satisfactorily, the EDC shall notify the applicant in writing, within three
business days after the tests, of one of the following:
1. The interconnection is approved and the
customer-generator facility may begin operation; or
2. The facilities study identified necessary
construction that has not been completed, the date upon which the construction
will be completed and the date when the customer-generator facility may begin
operation.
(k) If the
commissioning tests are not satisfactory, the customer-generator shall repair
or replace the unsatisfactory equipment and reschedule a commissioning test
pursuant to (i) above.
(l) Each EDC shall include
in any tariff or published procedures for level 3 interconnection review each
element of an impact study, including a description of the review the EDC will
undertake for each element. An impact study shall include the following
elements, as applicable:
1. A load flow
study;
2. A short-circuit
study;
3. A circuit protection and
coordination study;
4. The impact
on the operation of the electric distribution system;
5. A stability study (and the conditions that
would justify including this element in the impact study);
6. A voltage collapse study (and the
conditions that would justify including this element in the impact study);
and
7. Additional elements, if
approved in writing by Board staff prior to the impact study.
Notes
See: 41 N.J.R. 2215(a), 42 N.J.R. 78(a).
In (a), deleted "has a capacity less than two megawatts and" preceding "does", and updated the N.J.A.C. references; and in the introductory paragraph of (c), updated the N.J.A.C. reference. Former N.J.A.C. 14:8-5.6, Standards and testing for low-voltage dry type distribution transformers, recodified to N.J.A.C. 14:8-7.6.
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