65-407-324 Me. Code R. § 13

Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024
Section 407-324-13 - GENERAL PROVISIONS AND REQUIREMENTS AFTER INTERCONNECTION APPROVAL
A.Construction and Zoning Costs. The Applicant is responsible for all aspects of siting, permitting, construction, and anything else needed by its ICGF.
B.Commissioning Test. An Interconnection Customer must conduct Commissioning Test pursuant to IEEE Standard 1547 and manufacturer requirements.
C.Designated T&D Utility Employee. To assist Applicants in the interconnection process, the T&D Utility shall designate an employee or office from which information about the application can be readily obtained. Upon request, the T&D Utility shall provide the Applicant with all relevant forms, documents and technical requirements for filing a complete application for interconnection of generators and, if requested, the T&D Utility shall meet with the Applicant prior to submission of an Application within a reasonable time that is mutually agreeable to both parties.
D.Engineering Rate. Authorized hourly rate for engineering review under additional review or Level 4 shall be one hundred dollars ($100) per hour for resources internal to the T&D Utility and at cost for resources external to the T&D Utility.
E.No Additional Tests, Controls, or Insurance. If an ICGF complies with all applicable standards in § 5 of this Chapter, the facility shall be presumed to comply with the technical requirements of this rule. In such a case, the T&D Utility shall not require an Applicant to install additional controls (including but not limited to a utility accessible disconnect switch), to perform or pay for additional tests, or to purchase additional liability insurance (other than as set forth herein) in order to obtain approval to interconnect except as agreed to by the Applicant.
F.Liability Insurance. The Interconnection Customer and the T&D Utility shall comply with all applicable insurance requirements imposed by the State of Maine. If insurance is required by the State of Maine or by the T&D Utility as provided for below then all such policies shall be maintained with an insurance company that is authorized to do business in the State of Maine. A T&D Utility may require an Applicant to purchase insurance covering T&D Utility damages in the following amounts:
1. For non-inverter-based Generating Facilities:

Generating Capacity greater than 5 MW: $3,000,000.

Generating Capacity greater than 2 MW up to and including 5 MW: $2,000,000.

Generating Capacity greater than 500 kW up to and including 2 MW: $1,000,000.

Generating Capacity greater than 50 kW up to and including 500 kW: $500,000.

Generating Capacity less than or equal to 50 kW: no insurance required.

2. For inverter-based Generating Facilities:

Generating Capacity greater than 5 MW: $2,000,000.

Generating Capacity greater than 2 MW up to and including 5 MW: $1,000,000.

Generating Capacity less than or equal to1 MW: no insurance required.

G.Additional Equipment at T&D Utility Expense. Additional protection equipment not included with the Certified Generator or interconnection Equipment Package may be required at the T&D Utility's discretion as long as (i) the performance or facilities of the ICGF is not negatively impacted in any way and the Applicant is not charged for such additional equipment.
H.Metering and Monitoring. For Interconnection Customers that will be participating in Net Energy Billing or Procurements pursuant to Chapter 313 or Chapter 312 of the MPUC Rules, the metering provisions of the applicable rule shall apply to the customer's ICGF. For all other Interconnecting Customers, the required metering and monitoring shall be established by the T&D Utility's Terms and Conditions or the Interconnection Agreement.
I.Cancellation of Interconnection Agreements. The Interconnection Agreement applicable to Level 1, 2, 3, and 4 Interconnection Requests may be cancelled under any of the following conditions. The cancellation shall relieve the parties of their liabilities and obligations as of the date of termination (except for then-pending and accrued owed amounts), including future financial obligations; provided, that an Interconnection Customer that terminates an Interconnection Agreement prior to the ICGC becoming operational is not eligible for a reimbursement through cost sharing. The Interconnection Customer shall be responsible for costs incurred by the T&D Utility prior to termination, as calculated during cost reconciliation under §13(J) below. The parties agree in writing to terminate the Interconnection Agreement; The Interconnection Customer may terminate the Interconnection Agreement by providing twenty (20) Business Days' written notice to the T&D Utility. The T & D Utility may terminate the Interconnection Agreement if the Interconnection Customer either: 1) fails to energize the ICGF within 12 months of the Notification of Approved Operation, unless due to the fault or delay of the T&D Utility or RTO; or (2) permanently abandons the ICGF. Failure to operate the ICGF for any consecutive 12-month period after the Notification of Approved Operation shall constitute permanent abandonment unless agreed to in writing between the Parties.
J.Cost Reconciliation. Within sixty (60) Business Days after issuance of the later of (i) T & D Utility's formal Notice of Approved Operation, or (ii) submittal of final as-built drawings to the T & D Utility, the T & D Utility shall prepare and submit to the Applicant a final reconciliation statement of its actual costs less any Payment of System Modifications made by the Applicant, with a detailed breakdown of costs for review by the Applicant. The detail of the breakdown should match the Distribution Upgrades identified in any detailed design provided by the T&D Utility. Also, when an ICGF dependent on a Contingent Upgrade becomes operational, the T & D Utility shall prepare and submit to all operational Interconnected Customers that depend on that Contingent Upgrade a final reconciliation statement of the proportional costs with a detailed statement of the operational ICGFs dependent on the Contingent Upgrade, their characteristics that determined their portion of the Contingent Upgrade and the reimbursement amount. Within twenty (20) Business Days after delivery of the reconciliation statement, the T&D Utility will send the Applicant an invoice that states any balance due from Applicant or overpayment to be reimbursed by the T & D Utility. The Applicant may dispute the reconciliation calculation pursuant to the dispute resolution process in § 15. If the T&D Utility's final reconciliation invoice states a balance due from the Applicant, the Applicant shall pay any undisputed amount within thirty (30) Business Days of receipt of the final reconciliation invoice. Failure to pay undisputed amounts will give the T&D Utility the right to disconnect the ICGF. If the T&D Utility's final reconciliation invoice states a reimbursement for overpayment to be paid by the T &D Utility, the T&D Utility shall pay any undisputed reimbursement amount to the Applicant within thirty (30) Business Days of issuing the final reconciliation invoice.
K.Limited Testing Requirements. Once an interconnection has been approved under this rule, the T&D Utility shall not require further testing except for the following:
1. For Levels 2 and 3 ICGFs, an annual test in which the facility is disconnected from the T&D Utility's system to ensure that the generator stops delivering power to the grid, and any manufacturer- recommended testing. T D Utility shall be given reasonable advanced notice of such testing, and T&D Utility shall have the right to witness such testing.
2. For Level 4, all interconnection-related protective functions and associated batteries shall be periodically tested by the Applicant at intervals specified by the manufacturer, stem integrator, or authority that has jurisdiction over the interconnection. Periodic test reports or a log for inspection shall be maintained. T&D Utility shall have the right to access all testing reports or logs.
L.Right to Inspect and Disconnect. A T&D Utility shall have the right to inspect an ICGF facility before and after interconnection approval is granted, at reasonable hours and with reasonable prior notice provided to the Applicant. If the T D Utility discovers that the ICGF is not in compliance with the requirements of IEEE Standard 1547 or UL 1741, and the requirements of this Chapter, and such non-compliance adversely affects the safety or reliability of the electric system, the T&D Utility may require disconnection of the ICGF until it complies with all applicable requirements. If non-compliance with the applicable standard or standards is due to modification by the Applicant that is not a result of requirements of the interconnection process, then the costs of the inspection by the T&D shall be borne by the Applicant. If non-compliance is the result of an Applicant interconnecting to the T&D's system without having received approval for the interconnection through the process described in this Chapter, the T&D Utility may require disconnection of the ICGF and all costs related to the inspection and the disconnection shall be borne by the Customer.

65-407 C.M.R. ch. 324, § 13