Iowa Admin. Code r. 199-45.4 - Interconnection requests
(1)
Applicants seeking to interconnect a distributed generation facility shall
submit an interconnection request to the utility that owns the electric
distribution system to which interconnection is sought. Applicants shall
identify in the application if they are representing a group of customers that
are located in the same vicinity and whether the application requires a group
interconnection study. Applicants shall use the board-approved interconnection
request forms and agreements that are provided on the board's Web site,
http://iub.iowa.gov.
(2)
Preapplication request. Applicants may request a preapplication report from the
utility using the following process:
a. The
utility shall designate an employee or office from which information on the
application process and on the affected system can be obtained through an
informal request from the applicant presenting a proposed project for a
specific site, which may include multiple proposed individual interconnections
in close proximity and related to one project, such as a residential or
commercial development proposing rooftop solar on each premises or a
multiturbine wind project. The name, telephone number, and e-mail address of
such contact employee or office shall be made available on the utility's Web
site. Electric system information provided to the applicant should include, to
the extent such provision does not violate confidentiality provisions of prior
agreements or critical infrastructure requirements, relevant, available system
studies, interconnection studies, and other materials useful for gaining an
understanding of an interconnection at a particular point on the utility's
electric distribution system. The utility shall comply with reasonable requests
for such information.
b. In
addition to the information described in paragraph 45.4(2)
"a," which may be provided in response to an informal request,
an applicant may submit a formal written request form along with a
nonrefundable fee of $300 for a preapplication report on a proposed project at
a specific site. The utility shall provide the preapplication data described in
paragraph 45.4(2)"a" to the applicant within 20 business days
of receipt of the completed request form and payment of the $300 fee. The
preapplication report produced by the utility is nonbinding, it does not confer
any rights, and the applicant must still successfully apply to interconnect to
the utility's system. The written preapplication report request form shall
include the following information to clearly and sufficiently identify the
location of the proposed point of interconnection:
(1) Proposed distributed generation facility
owner's contact information, including name, address, telephone number, and
e-mail address.
(2) Project
location (street address with nearby cross streets and name of town).
(3) Meter number, pole number, or other
equivalent information identifying the proposed point of interconnection, if
available.
(4) Generator type
(e.g., solar, wind, combined heat and power).
(5) Size (alternating current kW).
(6) Single or three-phase generator
configuration.
(7) Stand-alone
generator (whether or not there is an onsite load, not including station
service).
(8) Whether or not new
service is requested. If there is existing service, include the customer
account number, site minimum and maximum current or proposed electric loads in
kW (if available) and specify if the load is expected to change.
c. Using the information provided
in the preapplication report request form in paragraph
45.4(2)"b," the utility will identify the substation/area bus,
bank or circuit likely to serve the proposed point of interconnection. This
selection by the utility does not necessarily indicate, after application of
the screens or study or both, that this would be the circuit to which the
distributed generation facility ultimately will be connected or that
interconnection will occur. The applicant must request additional
preapplication reports if information about multiple points of interconnection
is requested. Subject to paragraph 45.4(2) "d" and other
confidentiality concerns identified by the utility, the preapplication report
will include the following information:
(1)
Total capacity (in MW) of substation/area bus, bank or circuit based on normal
or operating ratings likely to serve the proposed point of
interconnection.
(2) Existing
aggregate generation capacity (in MW) interconnected to a substation/area bus,
bank or circuit (i.e., amount of generation online) likely to serve the
proposed point of interconnection.
(3) Aggregate queued generation capacity (in
MW) for a substation/area bus, bank or circuit (i.e., amount of generation in
the queue) likely to serve the proposed point of interconnection.
(4) Available capacity (in MW) of
substation/area bus or bank and circuit likely to serve the proposed point of
interconnection (i.e., total capacity less the sum of existing aggregate
generation capacity and aggregate queued generation capacity).
(5) Substation nominal distribution voltage
or transmission nominal voltage or both if applicable.
(6) Nominal distribution circuit voltage at
the proposed point of interconnection.
(7) Approximate circuit distance between the
proposed point of interconnection and the substation.
(8) Actual or estimated peak load and minimum
load data, including daytime minimum load and absolute minimum load, when
applicable, for relevant line sections.
(9) Number and rating of protective devices
and number and type (standard, bi-directional) of voltage-regulating devices
between the proposed point of interconnection and the substation/area and
whether or not the substation has a load tap changer.
(10) Number of phases available at the
proposed point of interconnection. If it is a single phase, distance from the
three-phase circuit.
(11) Limiting
conductor ratings from the proposed point of interconnection to the
distribution substation.
(12)
Whether the point of interconnection is located on a spot network, grid
network, or radial supply.
(13)
Based on the proposed point of interconnection, existing or known constraints
such as, but not limited to, electrical dependencies at that location,
short-circuit interrupting capacity issues, power quality or stability issues
on the circuit, capacity constraints, or secondary networks.
d. The preapplication report need
only include existing data. A preapplication report request does not obligate
the utility to conduct a study or other analysis of the proposed generator in
the event that data is not readily available. If the utility cannot complete
all or some of the preapplication report due to lack of available data, the
utility shall provide the applicant with a preapplication report that includes
the data that is available. The provision of information on "available
capacity" pursuant to subparagraph 45.4(2)"c"(4) does not
imply that an interconnection up to this level may be completed without impacts
since there are many variables studied as part of the interconnection review
process and data provided in the preapplication report may become outdated at
the time of the submission of the complete interconnection request.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this subrule, the utility shall, in
good faith, include data in the preapplication report that represents the best
available information at the time of reporting.
(3) Utilities shall specify the fee by level
that the applicant shall remit to process the interconnection request. The fee
shall be specified in the interconnection request forms. The utilities shall
not charge more than the fees as specified below:
a. Level 1 - $125 application fee and up to
an additional $125 if the utility performs a witness test as specified in
subrule 45.5(10).
b. Level 2 - $250
application fee plus $1 per kVA and up to an additional $125 if the utility
performs a witness test as specified in subrule 45.5(10).
c. Level 3 - $500 application fee plus $2 per
kVA.
d. Level 4 - $1,000
application fee plus $2 per kVA.
(4) Interconnection requests may be submitted
electronically, if agreed to by the parties.
Notes
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