Standard Application Forms, Fees Set For Customer-Generators Connections To Electric Grid

The Public Utility Commission this week established standard application forms and fees for customer-generators wanting to interconnect to the electric grid.

 

The Commission voted unanimously to approve the application forms and a policy statement on associated fees to be used for interconnection requests under the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act.

 

A major component of AEPS includes directions for how customer-generators who use technologies such as solar panels, fuel cells or biodigesters can connect to the electric distribution system. The PUC has established rules for those interconnections and how the customer-generators will be compensated by electric distribution companies and electric generation suppliers for providing surplus energy to the electric grid.

 

The PUC's interconnection regulations govern the process by which a customer-generator may interconnect onsite generation equipment to an electric utility's distribution lines. The regulations establish four levels of review depending on the rated generation capacity of the generation equipment among other criteria. The interconnection application forms and fees are designed to be uniform across the Commonwealth.

 

The forms will be available on the PUC website. Customer-generators also may check with their local utilities for information on forms and fees.

 

The PUC has actively been implementing AEPS, which was designed to foster economic development, encourage reliance on more diverse and environmentally friendly sources of energy and provide options for consumers by allowing them to take control of their energy requirements using alternative energy sources.

 

Generally, AEPS requires that a certain percentage of all electric energy sold to retail customers be derived from alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, biomass, waste coal and demand side management resources. The law applies to both EDCs and EGSs, who must demonstrate their compliance on an annual basis.

 

For more information, visit the PUC's AEPS website.