Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 199 - Utilities Division › Utilities and Transportation Divisions › Chapter 45 - Electric Interconnection of Distributed Generation Facilities › Rule 199-45.4 - Interconnection Requests

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(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 commission-approved
				interconnection request forms and agreements that are provided on the
				commission's website,
iuc.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 email address of such contact employee or office shall be made
				available on the utility's website. 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 email 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.