Michigan Administrative Code › Department - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs › Public Service Commission › Interconnection and Distributed Generation Standards › Part 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS › Section R. 460.901a - Definitions; A-I

Current through Vol. 24-12, July 15, 2024
Rule 1a. As used in these rules:
(a) "AC" means alternating current at 60
				  Hertz.
(b) "Affected system" means
				  another electric utility's distribution system, a municipal electric utility's
				  distribution system, the transmission system, or transmission system- connected
				  generation which may be affected by the proposed interconnection.
(c) "Affiliate" means that term as defined in
				  R
				  460.10102(1)(a).
(d) "Alternative electric supplier" means
				  that term as defined in section
				  10 g of 1939 PA 3, MCL
				  460.10g.
(e) "Alternative electric supplier
				  distributed generation program plan" means a document supplied by an
				  alternative electric supplier that provides detailed information to an
				  applicant about the alternative electric supplier's distributed generation
				  program.
(f) "Alternative electric
				  supplier legacy net metering program plan" means a document supplied by an
				  alternative electric supplier that provides detailed information to an
				  applicant about the alternative electric supplier's legacy net metering
				  program.
(g) "Applicant" means the
				  person or entity submitting an interconnection application, a legacy net
				  metering program application, or a distributed generation program application.
				  An applicant is not required to be an existing customer of an electric utility.
				  An electric utility is considered an applicant when it submits an
				  interconnection application for a DER that is not a temporary DER or a
				  substation backup energy storage device.
(h) "Application" means an interconnection
				  application, a legacy net metering program application, or a distributed
				  generation program application.
(i)
				  "Area network" means a location on the distribution system served by multiple
				  transformers interconnected in an electrical network circuit.
(j) "Business day" means Monday through
				  Friday, starting at 12:00:00 a.m. and ending at 11:59:59 p.m., excluding
				  electric utility holidays and any day where electric service is interrupted for
				  10% or more of an electric utility's customers.
(k) "Calendar day" means every day, including
				  Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
(l) "Certified" means an inverter-based
				  system has met acceptable safety and reliability standards by a nationally
				  recognized testing laboratory in conformance with IEEE 1547.1-2020 and the UL
				  1741 September 28, 2021 edition except that prior to commercial availability,
				  inverter-based systems which conform to the UL 1741SA September 7, 2016 edition
				  are acceptable.
(m) "Commission"
				  means the Michigan public service commission.
(n) "Commissioning test" means the test and
				  verification procedure that is performed on a device or combination of devices
				  forming a system to confirm that the device or system, as designed, delivered,
				  and installed, meets the interconnection and interoperability requirements of
				  IEEE 1547-2018 and IEEE 1547.1-2020. A commissioning test must include visual
				  inspections and may include, as applicable, an operability and functional
				  performance test and functional tests to verify interoperability of a
				  combination of devices forming a system.
(o) "Conforming" means the information in an
				  interconnection application is consistent with the general principles of
				  distribution system operation and DER characteristics.
(p) "Customer" means a person or entity who
				  receives electric service from an electric utility's distribution system or a
				  person who participates in a legacy net metering or distributed generation
				  program through an alternative electric supplier or electric utility.
(q) "DC" means "direct current."
(r) "Distributed energy resource" or "DER"
				  means a source of electric power and its associated facilities that is
				  connected to a distribution system. DER includes both generators and energy
				  storage devices capable of exporting active power to a distribution
				  system.
(s) "Distributed generation
				  program" means the distributed generation program approved by the commission
				  and included in an electric utility's tariff pursuant to section
				  6a(14) of 1939 PA
				  3, MCL 460.6a, or established in an
				  alternative electric supplier distributed generation program plan.
(t) "Distribution system" means the
				  structures, equipment, and facilities owned and operated by an electric utility
				  to deliver electricity to end users, not including transmission and generation
				  facilities that are subject to the jurisdiction of the federal energy
				  regulatory commission.
(u)
				  "Distribution upgrades" mean the additions, modifications, or improvements to
				  the distribution system necessary to accommodate a DER's connection to the
				  distribution system.
(v) Electric
				  utility" means any person or entity whose rates are regulated by the commission
				  for selling electricity to retail customers in this state. For purposes of
				  R 460.901a through
				  R 460.992 only, "electric utility"
				  includes cooperative electric utilities that are member regulated as provided
				  in section 4 of the electric cooperative
				  member-regulation act, 2008 PA 167, MCL
				  460.34.
(w) "Electrically coincident" means that 2 or
				  more proposed DERs associated with pending interconnection applications have
				  operating characteristics and nameplate capacities which require that
				  distribution upgrades will be necessary if the DERs are installed in electrical
				  proximity with each other on a distribution system.
(x) "Electrically remote" means a proposed
				  DER is not electrically coincident with a DER that is associated with a pending
				  interconnection application.
(y)
				  "Eligible electric generator" means a methane digester or renewable energy
				  system with a generation capacity limited to a customer's electric need and
				  that does not exceed either of the following:
(i) 150 kWac of aggregate generation at a
				  single site for a renewable energy system.
(ii) 550 kWac of aggregate generation at a
				  single site for a methane digester.