§ 75.39. Level 3 interconnection review.
(a) Each EDC shall adopt the Level 3 interconnection review procedure in this section. An EDC shall use the Level 3 review procedure to evaluate interconnection requests that meet the following criteria and for interconnection requests considered but not approved under a Level 2 or a Level 4 review if the interconnection customer submits a new interconnection request for consideration under Level 3:
(1) The small generator facility has an electric nameplate capacity that is 5 MW or less.
(2) The small generator facility is less than 5 MW and not certified.
(3) The small generator facility is less than 5 MW and noninverter based.
(b) The Level 3 interconnection review process shall consist of the following:
(1) By mutual agreement of the parties, the scoping meeting, interconnection feasibility study, interconnection impact study or interconnection facilities studies under Level 3 procedures may be waived.
(2) Within 10 business days from receipt of an interconnection request, the EDC shall notify the interconnection customer whether the request is complete. When the interconnection request is not complete, the EDC shall provide the interconnection customer a written list detailing information that shall be provided to complete the interconnection request. The interconnection customer shall have 10 business days to provide appropriate data to complete the interconnection request or the interconnection request will be considered withdrawn. The parties may agree to extend the time for receipt of the additional information. The interconnection request shall be deemed complete when the required information has been provided by the interconnection customer, or the parties have agreed that the interconnection customer may provide additional information at a later time.
(3) When an interconnection request is complete, the EDC shall assign a queue position. The queue position of an interconnection request shall be used to determine the cost responsibility necessary for the facilities to accommodate the interconnection. The EDC shall notify the interconnection customer at the scoping meeting about other higher-queued interconnection customers.
(4) A scoping meeting will be held within 10 business days, or as agreed to by the parties, after the EDC has notified the interconnection customer that the interconnection request is deemed complete, or the interconnection customer has requested that its interconnection request proceed after failing the requirements of a Level 2 review or Level 4 review. The purpose of the meeting must be to review the interconnection request, existing studies relevant to the interconnection request, and the results of the Level 1, Level 2 or Level 4 screening criteria.
(5) When the parties agree at a scoping meeting that an interconnection feasibility study shall be performed, the EDC shall provide to the interconnection customer, no later than 5 business days after the scoping meeting, an interconnection feasibility study agreement, including an outline of the scope of the study and a nonbinding good faith estimate of the cost to perform the study.
(6) When the parties agree at a scoping meeting that an interconnection feasibility study is not required, the EDC shall provide to the interconnection customer, no later than 5 business days after the scoping meeting, an interconnection system impact study agreement, including an outline of the scope of the study and a nonbinding good faith estimate of the cost to perform the study.
(7) When the parties agree at the scoping meeting that an interconnection feasibility study and system impact study are not required, the EDC shall provide to the interconnection customer, no later than 5 business days after the scoping meeting, an interconnection facilities study agreement including an outline of the scope of the study and a nonbinding good faith estimate of the cost to perform the study.
(c) An interconnection feasibility study must include the following analyses for the purpose of identifying a potential adverse system impact to the EDC’s electric distribution system that would result from the interconnection:
(1) Initial identification of any circuit breaker short circuit capability limits exceeded as a result of the interconnection.
(2) Initial identification of any thermal overload or voltage limit violations resulting from the interconnection.
(3) Initial review of grounding requirements and system protection.
(4) Description and nonbinding estimated cost of facilities required to interconnect the small generator facility to the EDC’s electric distribution system in a safe and reliable manner.
(5) When an interconnection customer requests that the interconnection feasibility study evaluate multiple potential points of interconnection, additional evaluations may be required. Additional evaluations shall be paid by the interconnection customer.
(6) An interconnection system impact study is not required when the interconnection feasibility study concludes there is no adverse system impact, or when the study identifies an adverse system impact, but the EDC is able to identify a remedy without the need for an interconnection system impact study.
(7) The parties shall use a form of interconnection feasibility study agreement approved by the Commission.
(d) An interconnection system impact study must evaluate the impact of the proposed interconnection on the safety and reliability of the EDC’s electric distribution system. The study must identify and detail the system impacts that result when a small generator facility is interconnected without project or system modifications, focusing on the adverse system impacts identified in the interconnection feasibility study; or potential impacts including those identified in the scoping meeting. The study must consider all generating facilities that, on the date the interconnection system impact study is commenced, are directly interconnected with the EDC’s system, have a pending higher queue position to interconnect to the system, or have a signed interconnection agreement.
(1) An interconnection system impact study must:
(i) Consider the following criteria:
(A) A short circuit analysis.
(B) A stability analysis.
(C) Voltage drop and flicker studies.
(D) Protection and set point coordination studies.
(E) Grounding reviews.
(ii) State the underlying assumptions of the study.
(iii) Show the results of the analyses.
(iv) List any potential impediments to providing the requested interconnection service.
(v) Indicate required distribution upgrades and provide a nonbinding good faith estimate of cost and time to construct the upgrades.
(2) A distribution interconnection system impact study shall be performed when a potential distribution system adverse system impact is identified in the interconnection feasibility study. The EDC shall send the interconnection customer an interconnection system impact study agreement within 5 business days of transmittal of the interconnection feasibility study report. The agreement will include an outline of the scope of the study and a good faith estimate of the cost to perform the study. The study must include:
(i) A load flow study.
(ii) An analysis of equipment interrupting ratings.
(iii) A protection coordination study.
(iv) Voltage drop and flicker studies.
(v) Protection and set point coordination studies.
(vi) Grounding reviews.
(vii) Impact on system operation.
(3) The parties shall use an interconnection impact study agreement or a distribution interconnection impact study as approved by the Commission.
(e) The interconnection facilities study shall be conducted as follows:
(1) Within 5 business days of completion of the interconnection system impact study, a report will be transmitted to the interconnection customer with an interconnection facilities study agreement, which includes an outline of the scope of the study and a nonbinding good faith estimate of the cost to perform the study.
(2) The interconnection facilities study shall estimate the cost of the equipment, engineering, procurement and construction work, including overheads, needed to implement the conclusions of the interconnection feasibility study and the interconnection system impact study to interconnect the small generator facility. The interconnection facilities study must identify:
(i) The electrical switching configuration of the equipment, including transformer, switchgear, meters and other station equipment.
(ii) The nature and estimated cost of the EDC’s interconnection facilities and distribution upgrades necessary to accomplish the interconnection.
(iii) An estimate of the time required to complete the construction and installation of the facilities.
(3) The parties may agree to permit an interconnection customer to separately arrange for a third party to design and construct the required interconnection facilities. The EDC may review the design of the facilities under the interconnection facilities study agreement. When the parties agree to separately arrange for design and construction, and to comply with security and confidentiality requirements, the EDC shall make all relevant information and required specifications available to the interconnection customer to permit the interconnection customer to obtain an independent design and cost estimate for the facilities, which must be built in accordance with the specifications.
(4) Upon completion of the interconnection facilities study, and with the agreement of the interconnection customer to pay for the interconnection facilities and distribution upgrades identified in the interconnection facilities study, the EDC shall provide the interconnection customer with a standard small generator interconnection agreement within 5 business days.
(5) The parties shall use an interconnection facility study agreement approved by the Commission.
(f) When an EDC determines, as a result of the studies conducted under Level 3 review, that it is appropriate to interconnect the small generator facility, the EDC shall provide the interconnection customer with a standard small generator interconnection agreement. If the interconnection request is denied, the EDC shall provide a written explanation.
(g) Upon providing notice within 10 business days after receipt of the certificate of completion, the EDC may conduct a witness test at a mutually convenient time. If the EDC does not conduct the witness test within 10 business days, or within the time otherwise mutually agreed to by the parties, the witness test is deemed waived.
(h) An interconnection customer shall have 30 business days, or another mutually agreeable time frame after receipt of the standard small generator interconnection agreement to sign and return the agreement. When an interconnection customer does not sign the agreement within 30 business days, the interconnection request will be deemed withdrawn unless the interconnection customer requests to have the deadline extended. The request for extension may not be unreasonably denied by the EDC. When construction is required, the interconnection of the small generator facility shall proceed according to milestones agreed to by the parties in the standard small generator interconnection agreement. The interconnection agreement may not be final until:
(1) The milestones agreed to in the standard small generator interconnection agreement are satisfied.
(2) The small generator facility is approved by electric code officials with jurisdiction over the interconnection.
(3) The interconnection customer provides a certificate of completion to the EDC. Completion of local inspections may be designated on inspection forms used by local inspecting authorities.
(4) There is a successful completion of the witness test, unless waived.
Authority The provisions of this § 75.39 amended under 66 Pa.C.S. § § 501, 1501 and 2807(e); and sections 1648.7(a) and 1648.3(e)(2) of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004 (73 P.S. § § 1648.7(a) and 1648.3(e)(2)).
Source The provisions of this § 75.39 amended November 18, 2016, effective November 19, 2016, 46 Pa.B. 7277, 7448. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (342501) to (342505).
Cross References This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 69.2101 (relating to statement of scope); 52 Pa. Code § 69.2102 (relating to statement of purpose); 52 Pa. Code § 69.2103 (relting to definitions); and 52 Pa. Code § 69.2104 (relating to interconnection application fees).
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