860-084-0270 Authorization to Interconnect (1) An eligible system may not be interconnected to an electric company’s distribution system before obtaining authorization from the electric company. (2) Changes affecting the nameplate capacity or the output capacity of the system authorized in the agreement governing the contract require prior authorization from the electric company. (4) Interconnection applications must be provided by the electric company and posted on the electric company’s website. The submission of a completed interconnection application initiates interconnection review. The application must include the following: (a) The name of the applicant and the electric company; (b) The type and specifications of each component of the qualified solar photovoltaic system; (c) The level of interconnection review (Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3); (d) The name of the installer of the qualified solar photovoltaic system; (e) Equipment certifications; (f) The anticipated operation date of the solar photovoltaic system; and (g) Other information the utility deems necessary to comply with the solar photovoltaic pilot program interconnection rules. (5) Within three business days of receiving the interconnection application, the electric company must provide the applicant a written notice of receipt stating whether the application meets the established criteria. (a) If the application does not meet established criteria, the written notice must include a list of all of the information needed to complete the application. (b) If the number of applications in a regular business week exceeds 20, the electric company must inform the customers that the written-notice period is ten business days. (6) Each electric company must designate an employee or office from which an applicant can obtain application forms and other information necessary to complete the application process; the electric company must post the application form and the necessary information on its website. Upon request, the electric company must provide all relevant forms, documents, and technical requirements for submittal of an application that meets established criteria for an interconnection application under these solar photovoltaic pilot program rules, as well as specific information necessary to contact the electric company representative assigned to review the application. (7) A person may also request information about the feasibility of interconnecting a qualifying system before filing an application for capacity reservation or interconnection. The information provided by the electric company in response to this request must include relevant existing studies and other materials that may be used to understand the feasibility of interconnecting a solar photovoltaic facility at a particular point on the electric company’s distribution system. The electric company must comply with reasonable requests for access to or copies of this information, except to the extent that providing these materials would violate security requirements, confidentiality obligations to third parties, or federal or state regulations. The electric company may require a person to sign a confidentiality agreement if required to protect confidential or proprietary information. A person requesting information under this section must reimburse the electric company for the reasonable costs of gathering and copying the requested information. (8) The electric company is not responsible for the cost of determining the rating of equipment on the customer side of the meter. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 757.360 - 757.380 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 757.360 - 757.380 History: PUC 7-2011, f. & cert. ef. 9-30-11 PUC 2-2010, f. & cert. ef. 6-1-10