Address Comments To:
Lynda L. Dorr, Secretary to the Commission
Public Service Commission
P.O. Box 7854
Madison, WI 53707-7854
FAX (608) 266-3957
The Commission requests comments on the above issues. Any party who desires to file comments should submit an original and 15 copies as indicated above. Members of the public need only file an original. These comments must be received by noon on Tuesday, February 25, 2003. Comments by fax are due one day earlier. Fax filing cover sheets must state “Official Filing" and include the docket number and the number of pages (limit of 20 pages). File by one mode only.
Analysis Prepared by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
Statute interpreted: s.
196.496, Stats.
The objective of this rulemaking is to establish requirements for interconnection of distributed generation facilities that are, to the extent technically feasible and cost effective, uniform for all regulated electric utilities in Wisconsin. The rules define an application process, an application form, an interconnection agreement, requirements for grounding, metering, use of certified or non-certified equipment, safety equipment, power quality and testing, and compliance with applicable national, state, and local codes. The rules include a streamlined application process for facilities that have a capacity of less than 20 kilowatts. Section
196.496, Stats., provides:
To the extent technically feasible and cost effective, the standards shall be uniform and shall promote the development of distributed generation facilities. The standards shall address engineering, electric reliability, safety concerns and the methods for determining charges for interconnection.
These rules are adopted to implement s.
196.496 (2), Stats.
SECTION 1 Section PSC 113.0207 is repealed.
SECTION 2 Chapter
PSC 119 is created to read:
PSC 119.0503 Additional tests.
PSC 119.01 Scope. This chapter implements s.
196.496, Stats., and applies to all electric public utilities, whether privately or municipally owned, and to all interconnected, customer-sited, non-utility DG facilities operating in parallel with the public utility, with a capacity of 15 MW or less. These rules establish uniform statewide standards for the interconnection of DG facilities to an electric distribution system.
PSC 119.012 Definitions. In this chapter:
(1) “ANSI" means American National Standards Institute.
(2) “Applicant“ means the legally responsible person applying to a public utility to interconnect a DG facility to the public utility's distribution system.
(3) “Application review" means a review by the public utility of the completed standard application form for interconnection, to determine if an engineering review or distribution system study is needed.
(4) “Category 1" means a DG facility of 20 kW or less.
(5) “Category 2" means a DG facility of greater than 20 kW to 200 kW.
(6) “Category 3" means a DG facility of greater than 200 kW to 1 MW.
(7) “Category 4" means a DG facility of greater than 1 MW to 15 MW.
(8) “Certified equipment" means a generating, control or protective system that has been certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory as meeting acceptable safety and reliability standards.
(9) “Commission" means the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
(10) “Commissioning test" means the process of documenting and verifying the performance of a DG facility so that it operates in conformity with the design specifications.
(11) “Customer" means any person who is receiving electric service from a public utility's distribution system.
(12) “DG" means distributed generation.
(13) “Distribution feeder" means an electric line from a public utility substation or other supply point to customers that is operated at 50 kV or less, or as determined by the Commission.
(14) “DG facility" means a facility for the generation of electricity with a total nameplate capacity of 15 MW or less that is located on the customer side of a point of common coupling.
(15) “Distribution system" means all electrical wires, equipment, and other facilities owned or provided by a public utility that are normally operated at 50 kV or less.
(16) “Distribution system study" means a study to determine if a distribution system upgrade is needed to accommodate the proposed DG facility and to determine the cost of any such upgrade.
(17) “Engineering review" means a study or studies that may be undertaken by a public utility, in response to its receipt of a completed standard application form for interconnection, to determine the suitability of the installation and the need for a distribution system study.
(18) “Fault" means an equipment failure, conductor failure, short circuit, or other condition resulting from abnormally high amounts of current from the power source.
(19) “Guidelines" means the “Wisconsin Distributed Generation Interconnection Guidelines" of the Commission.
(20) “IEEE" means Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
(21) “Interconnection" means the physical connection of a DG facility to the distribution system so that parallel operation can occur.
(22) “Interconnection disconnect switch" means a mechanical device used to disconnect a DG facility from a distribution system.
(23) “Inverter" means a machine, device, or system that converts direct current power to alternating current power.
(24) “Islanding" means a condition on the distribution system in which a DG facility delivers power to customers using a portion of the distribution system that is electrically isolated from the remainder of the distribution system.
(25) “kV" means kilovolt.
(26) “kW" means kilowatt.
(27) “Material modification" means any modification that changes the maximum electrical output of a DG facility or changes the interconnection equipment, including:
(a) Changing from certified to non-certified devices.
(b) Replacing a component with a component of different functionality or UL listing.
(28) “MW" means megawatt.
(29) “Nationally recognized testing laboratory" means any testing laboratory recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration's accreditation program.
(30) “Network service" means two or more primary distribution feeders electrically connected on the low voltage side of two or more transformers, to form a single power source for any customer.
(31) “Parallel operation" means the operation, for longer than 100 milliseconds, of an on-site DG facility while the facility is connected to the energized distribution system.
(32) “Paralleling equipment" means the generating and protective equipment system that interfaces and synchronizes a DG facility with the distribution system.
(33) “Point of common coupling" means the point where the electrical conductors of the distribution system are connected to the customer's conductors and where any transfer of electric power between the customer and the distribution system takes place.
(34) “Point of interconnection" means the point where a DG facility is electrically connected to a customer's electrical system.
(35) “Public utility" has the meaning given in s.
196.01 (5) (a), Stats.
(36) “Standard application form" means PSC Form 6027 for Category 1 DG facilities or PSC Form 6028 for Category 2 to 4 DG facilities.
(37) “Standard interconnection agreement" means PSC Form 6029 for Category 1 facilities or PSC Form 6030 for Category 2 to 4 DG facilities.
NOTE: a copy of PSC 6027 to 6030 can be obtained at no charge from your local electric utility or from the Public Service Commission, PO Box 7854, Madison, WI 54707-7854.
(38) “Telemetry" means transmission of DG operating data using telecommunications techniques.
(39) “UL" means Underwriters Laboratory.
(40) “Working day" has the meaning specified in s.
227.01(14), Stats.
Subchapter II -- General Requirements
PSC 119.0201 Designated point of contact. Each public utility shall designate one point of contact for all customer inquiries related to DG facilities and from which interested parties can obtain a copy of the guidelines and the appropriate standard Commission application and interconnection agreement forms. Each public utility shall have current contact information concerning its DG representative on file with the Commission.
PSC 119.0202 Application process for interconnecting DG facilities. Public utilities and applicants shall complete the following steps regarding interconnection applications for all classes of DG facilities, in the order listed:
(1) The public utility shall respond to each DG inquiry within 5 working days and, on request, furnish the appropriate standard application form and a copy of the guidelines.
(2) The applicant shall complete and submit the standard application form to its public utility.
(3) Within 10 working days of receiving a new or revised application, the public utility shall notify the applicant whether the application is complete.
(4) Once the public utility determines that the application is complete, within 10 working days the public utility shall complete its application review and notify the applicant if an engineering review is needed and the cost of such review. For Categories 2 and 3, the cost estimate shall be valid for one year. For Category 4, the time period shall be negotiated but may not exceed one year. If the application review shows that an engineering review is not needed, the applicant may install the DG facility and need not complete the steps described in subs. (5) to (9).
(5) If the application review indicates that an engineering review is needed, the public utility, upon written notification to proceed and receipt of applicable payment from the applicant, shall complete an engineering review and notify the applicant of the results within the following times:
(a) Category 1 DG application, 10 working days.
(b) Category 2 DG application, 15 working days.
(c) Category 3 DG application, 20 working days.
(d) Category 4 DG application, 40 working days.
(6) If the engineering review indicates that a distribution system study is necessary, the public utility shall include, in writing, a cost estimate in its engineering review. The cost estimate shall be valid for one year and the applicant shall have one year from receipt of the cost estimate in which to notify the public utility to proceed, except for a Category 4 DG application, in which case the time period shall be negotiated, but may not extend beyond one year. Upon receiving written notification to proceed and payment of the applicable fee, the public utility shall conduct the distribution system study.
(7) The public utility shall within the following time periods complete the distribution system study and provide study results to the applicant:
(a) Category 1 DG application, 10 working days.
(b) Category 2 DG application, 15 working days.
(c) Category 3 DG application, 20 working days.
(d) Category 4 DG application, 60 working days unless a different time period is mutually agreed upon.
(8) The public utility shall perform a distribution system study of the local distribution system and notify the applicant of findings along with any distribution system construction or modification costs to be borne by the applicant.
(9) If the applicant agrees, in writing, to pay for any required distribution system construction and modifications, the public utility shall complete the distribution system upgrades and the applicant shall install the DG facility within a time frame that is mutually agreed upon. The applicant shall notify the public utility when project construction is complete.
(10) (a) The applicant shall give the public utility the opportunity to witness or verify the system testing, as required in s.
PSC 119.0501 or
PSC 119.0502. Upon receiving notification that an installation is complete, the public utility has 10 working days, for a Category 1 or 2 DG project, or 20 working days, for a Category 3 or 4 DG project, to complete the following:
1. Witness commissioning tests.
2. Perform an anti-islanding test or verify the protective equipment settings at its expense.
3. Waive its right, in writing, to witness or verify the commissioning tests.
(b) The applicant shall provide the public utility with the results of any required tests.
(11) The public utility may review the results of the on-site tests and shall notify the applicant within 5 working days, for a Category 1 DG project, or within 10 working days, for a Category 2 to 4 DG project, of its approval or disapproval of the interconnection. If approved, the public utility shall provide a written statement of final acceptance and cost reconciliation. Any applicant for a DG system that passes the commissioning test may sign a standard interconnection agreement and interconnect. If the public utility does not approve the interconnection, the applicant may take corrective action and request the public utility to reexamine its interconnection request.
(12) A standard interconnection agreement shall be signed by the applicant and public utility before parallel operation commences.
PSC 119.0203 Insurance and indemnification. (1) An applicant seeking to interconnect a DG facility to the distribution system of a public utility shall maintain liability insurance equal to or greater than the amounts stipulated in the following table, per occurrence, or prove financial responsibility by another means mutually agreeable to the applicant and the public utility:
Category
|
Generation Capacity
|
Minimum Liability Insurance Coverage
|
1
|
20 kW or less
|
$ 300,000
|
2
|
Greater than 20 kW to 200 kW
|
$ 1,000,000
|
3
|
Greater than 200 kW to 1 MW
|
$ 2,000,000
|
4
|
Greater than 1 MW to 15 MW
|
Negotiated
|
