Wisconsin Legislature: Text

(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.

(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.

(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

For a DG facility in Category 2 to 4, the applicant shall name the public utility as an additional insured party in the liability insurance policy.

(2) Each party to the standard interconnection agreement shall indemnify hold harmless and defend the other party, its officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any and all claims, suits, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses. The liability of each party shall be limited to direct actual damages, and all other damages at law or in equity shall be waived.

PSC 119.0204 Modifications to the DG facility. The applicant shall notify the public utility of plans for any material modification to the DG facility by providing at least 20 working days of advance notice for a Category 1 DG facility, 40 working days for Category 2 DG facility, and 60 working days for a Category 3 or 4 DG facility. The applicant shall provide this notification by submitting a revised standard application form and such supporting materials as may be reasonably requested by the public utility. The applicant may not commence any material modification to the DG facility until the public utility has approved the revised application, including any necessary engineering review or distribution system study. The public utility shall indicate its written approval or rejection of a revised application within the number of working days shown in the table below. Upon completion of the application process, a new standard interconnection agreement shall be signed by both parties prior to parallel operation. If the public utility fails to respond in the time specified in the following table, the completed application is deemed approved:

Category	Generation Capacity after Modification	Working Days for Utility's Response to Proposed Modifications
1	20 kW or less	20
2	Greater than 20 kW to 200 kW	40
3	Greater than 200 kW to 1 MW	60
4	Greater than 1 MW to 15 MW	80

PSC 119.0205 Easements and rights-of-way. If a public utility line extension is required to accommodate a DG interconnection, the applicant shall (at its expense) provide, or obtain from others, suitable easements or rights-of-way.

PSC 119.0206 Fees and distribution system costs. (1) The need for any engineering review or distribution system study is determined during the public utility's application review. The public utility's response to the standard application form shall include the cost of any interconnection or distribution system study fee. Application fees shall be credited toward the cost of any engineering review or distribution system study. The applicant shall pay the following application and interconnection study fees, unless the public utility chooses to waive the fees in whole or in part:

(a) Category 1: No application review, engineering review, or distribution system study fees.

(b) Category 2: An application review fee of $250 and a maximum engineering review fee of $500, if a distribution upgrade is required.

(d) Category 4: An application fee of $1,000 and an engineering review fee based on cost.

(2) The public utility may recover from the applicant an amount up to the actual cost, for labor and parts, of any distribution system upgrades required. No public utility may charge a commissioning test fee for initial start-up of the DG facility. The utility may charge for retesting an installation that does not conform to the requirements set forth in these rules.

(3) Costs for any necessary line extension shall be accessed pursuant to s. PSC 113.1005.

PSC 119.0207 Disconnection and reconnection. A public utility may refuse to connect or may disconnect a DG facility from the distribution system only under the following conditions:

(1) Lack of approved standard application form or standard interconnection agreement.

(2) Termination of interconnection by mutual agreement.

(3) Non-compliance with the technical or contractual requirements.

(4) Distribution system emergency.

(5) Routine maintenance, repairs, and modifications, but only for a reasonable length of time necessary to perform the required work.

PSC 119.0208 DG installation requirements. A public utility may require that the installation of a DG facility be supervised by a licensed electrical contractor, professional engineer (practicing electrical engineering) licensed in Wisconsin, electrical code inspector registered with the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, or an installer certified by a nationally recognized certifying body.