| Ten-point action plan for reducing barriers to distributed | | | | interconnection of distributed resources 10 Mva or |
| generation A. Reduce technical barriers (1) Adopt | | | | smaller with electric power systems. The requirements |
| uniform technical standards for interconnecting | | | | relevant to performance, operation, testing, safety, and |
| distributed power to the grid. (2) Adopt testing and | | | | maintenance of the interconnection are also included in |
| certification procedures for interconnection equipment. | | | | the emerging standard. PURPOSE A typical |
| (3) Accelerate development of distributed power | | | | interconnection standard for DG establishes the criteria |
| control technology and systems. B. Reduce business | | | | and requirements for the interconnection of distributed |
| practice barriers (4) Adopt standard commercial | | | | resources with distribution systems. It may conform to |
| practices for any required utility review of | | | | the emerging IEEE P1547 interconnection Standard, |
| interconnection. (5) Establish standard business terms | | | | now a work in progress and close to completion. |
| for interconnection agreements. (6) Develop tools for | | | | Specifically this document describes the design and |
| utilities to assess the value and impact of distributed | | | | testing requirements of generator interconnection to |
| power at any point on the grid. C. Reduce regulatory | | | | the electric utility distribution system. The requirements |
| barriers (7) Develop new regulatory principles | | | | established in this document cover a broad spectrum |
| compatible with distributed power choices in both | | | | of interests. The addition of a distributed resource to |
| competitive and utility markets. (8) Adopt regulatory | | | | the distribution system may change the system and its |
| tariffs and utility incentives to fit the new distributed | | | | response. Attaining a technically sound and robust |
| power model. (9) Establish expedited dispute resolution | | | | interconnection among distributed resources and the |
| processes for distributed generation project proposals. | | | | distribution system mandates diligence on the part of |
| (10) Define the conditions necessary for a right to | | | | everyone involved in the inter-connection, including |
| interconnect. The production of electrical energy from | | | | designers, manufacturers, users, owners, and |
| a customer’s site has significant economic effects | | | | operators of both electric power systems as part of |
| on the transmission and distribution systems of the | | | | the interconnection requirements. This requirement |
| electric utility provider. Small drop-and-run power plants | | | | needs to be understood cooperatively among the |
| such as micro turbines, fuel cells, solar, wind, | | | | aforementioned groups and met. LIMITATIONS The |
| reciprocating engines, and gas turbines can provide | | | | criteria and requirements are applicable to all distributed |
| substantial additional power to meet the provider’s | | | | resource technologies and to the primary and |
| peak loads. The hurdles to DG continue to be the | | | | secondary voltages of the electric Power systems. |
| resolution of important policy issues including | | | | Installation of DGs on the radial primary and secondary |
| interconnection interfaces, standby charges, and | | | | electric power systems is the main emphasis of the |
| stranded costs, sitting and permitting for the DG. The | | | | IEEE. The requirements may be met at the Point of |
| main technical interconnection question today is how to | | | | Common Coupling (PCC), although the location of |
| interface DG energy resources with existing electric | | | | protective devices may not be at the PCC. GENERAL |
| power systems in a reliable, safe, and cost-effective | | | | INTERCONNECTION REQUIREMENTS When a |
| manner. Figure 1 illustrates the complexity and the | | | | customer desires to establish a parallel interconnection |
| interaction between DG and the interconnected | | | | with the utility, there are formal procedures to follow |
| electric power system. The four areas are as follows: | | | | that will ensure a sound technical basis for the |
| 1. Isolated, no grid source 2. Isolated with automatic | | | | proposed interconnection these technical and |
| transfer 3. Grid interconnection, no power export 4. | | | | application procedures are summarized in the following |
| Grid interconnection, bi-directional power flow Figure 1. | | | | table. 1. Planning for the interconnection asset 2. |
| Complexity and interaction between DG and | | | | Designing the interconnection asset 3. Constructing the |
| interconnected electric power system Figure 2 .is a | | | | interconnection asset according to the planning and |
| typical single line diagram of an interconnection. The | | | | design drawings agreed to during the application phase |
| interconnection concerns from the electric utility point | | | | of the project. 4. Verification testing and commissioning |
| of view, as illustrated by recent surveys, include the | | | | testing of the completed construction phase. 5. Initial |
| reliability of the existing grid, the safety of electric | | | | operation of the parallel interconnection, operations |
| power system personnel, and quality control. The key | | | | training, and recording the performance of the |
| to achieving a working implementation of DG will be | | | | interconnection system. 6. Operation and maintenance |
| the introduction of universal technical standards that | | | | of the interconnection asset for the life of the asset. |
| permit standardized grid interconnection while | | | | Any customer may operate 60 Hertz, three phase or |
| maintaining power system stability and worker safety. | | | | single phase generating equipment in parallel with an |
| In the winter of 1999, the Institute of Electrical and | | | | electric utility system in accordance with the utility’s |
| Electronic Engineers (IEEE) began devising a universal | | | | interconnection and operating agreement, provided the |
| interconnection standard, currently called IEEE P1547. | | | | equipment of the customer meets or exceeds the |
| Its purpose is to set forth a uniform standard for | | | | requirements of the utility. |