[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010;[1] as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
1. 
Title. This Part 12 of the Code of the Borough of Watsontown shall be known as the "Customer-Owned Electric Generation Regulations."
2. 
Scope. The regulations are to protect the public health, safety and welfare and to protect the integrity of the Borough's electric system in regards to interconnection of on-site distributed generation and parallel generation requirements by:
A. 
Establishing technical requirements which will promote the safe and reliable parallel operation of distributed generation resources;
B. 
Enhancing the reliability of electric service;
C. 
Facilitating the implementation and use of distributed resources technologies;
D. 
Enhancing economic efficiency in the production and consumption of electricity and other energy; and
E. 
Promoting the use of distributed resources in order to provide electric system benefits during periods of capacity constraint.
3. 
Applicability. Unless otherwise provided, these regulations shall apply to all customer generation interconnected and operated in the Borough of Watsontown power delivery system. The interconnection and parallel operation of on-site distributed generation operating above 1 megawatt shall be reviewed on an individual case basis.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Ch. 13, Part 3, Private Generator Systems, adopted 7-12-1999 by Ord. No. 1999-1.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ACCOUNT
An account is one metered or unmetered rate or service classification which normally has one electric delivery point of service. Each account shall have only one electric service supplier providing full electric supply requirements for that account. A premises may have more than one account.
COMPANY
Borough of Watsontown (hereinafter called "Borough").
CUSTOMER
Any adult person, partnership, association, corporation, or other entity: i) in whose name a service account is listed, ii) who occupies or is the ratepayer for a premises, building, structure, etc., and iii) who, is primarily responsible for payment of bills. A customer includes anyone taking delivery service or combined electric supply and delivery service from the Borough under one service classification for one account, premises or site. Multiple premises or sites under the same name are considered multiple customers.
DISTRIBUTED GENERATION or ON-SITE DISTRIBUTED GENERATION
An electrical generating unit of less than 1 MW, which may be connected to the Borough electric system.
GENERATOR OWNER
The owner of the generating system that is interconnected to the Borough electric system.
GRID
The interconnected arrangement of lines and transformers that make up the Borough electric power system.
IEEE STANDARD 929
IEEE Standard entitled "Recommended Practice for Utility Interface of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems," P929 Draft 1.1, dated July 1999, or subsequent approved revision thereof.
INTERCONNECTION
The physical connection of distributed generation to the Borough system in accordance with these guidelines so that parallel operation can occur.
INTERCONNECTION APPLICATION
The standard form of application which must be submitted by the generation owner to the Borough for permission to interconnect with the Borough system. The interconnection application sets forth the contractual conditions under which the Borough and generator owner agree that one or more generating units whose aggregate generation at the point of common coupling is less than 1 MW may be interconnected with the Borough system.
INVERTER
A static power converter with control, protection and filtering functions that converts direct current input to alternating current output. Inverters must be of the non-islanding type.
ISLAND
A portion of the utility system which contains both load and distributed generation and is isolated from the remainder of the utility system.
PARALLEL OPERATION
Any electrical connection between the Borough system and the generator owner's generating source.
POINT OF COMMON COUPLING
The point where the electrical conductors of the Borough system are connected to the customer's conductors and where any transfer of electric power between the generator owner and the Borough electric system takes place.
PRE-APPROVED EQUIPMENT
Specific generating and protective equipment system or systems that have been approved by the Borough as meeting the applicable parts of this document.
PRE-INTERCONNECTION STUDY
A study or studies which may be undertaken by the Borough in response to its receipt of a completed application for parallel operation with the Borough's system submitted on the interconnected application form prescribed by these guidelines. Pre-interconnection studies may include, but are not limited to service studies, coordination studies and facilities impact studies.
QUALIFYING FACILITY (QF)
An electric generation facility which is a qualifying facility under Subpart B, Section 201, of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's regulations per the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978.
STABILIZED
The Borough's system following a disturbance which returns to the normal range of voltage and frequency for at least five minutes or longer as coordinated with the Borough, The Borough may require a longer period upon a reasonable showing that the reconnection after five minutes will adversely affect the safety and reliability of the electric system.
UNIT
A distributed generation facility.
UTILITY SYSTEM or ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION FACILITY
Borough's distribution system operating to which the generation equipment is interconnected.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
A proposed generator owner will make a formal application to the Borough for the interconnection of a generator to the Borough system. The customer shall submit a letter to the Borough stating the technical aspects of the installation, two clean copies of equipment catalog cuts and two copies of a one line diagram of the proposed installation and interconnection to the Borough system. Additionally, a representation by the customer that the installation will be constructed and operated in full compliance with the Borough standards and requirements shall be included. For inverter installations, a statement that the inverter for the project is of the non-islanding type to prevent back feeds shall also be included. A proposed generator owner must submit a nonrefundable application fee of $100 with the application. An application will not be reviewed until the application fee is received. The Borough may, from time to time, change the application fee by resolution.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
The Borough will designate a point of contact for all matters related to interconnected generation. The Borough will maintain records concerning applications received for interconnection and parallel operation of distributed generation. Such records will include the date of receipt of each such application, documents generated in the course of processing such applications, correspondence regarding such applications and the final disposition of such application.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
1. 
The Borough reserves the right to conduct a service study, coordination study, or facilities impact study prior to approval of a distributed generation unit. In instances where such studies are deemed necessary, the scope of such studies shall be based on the characteristics of the particular distributed generation unit to be interconnected and the proposed point of interconnection.
A. 
Completion of Pre-interconnection Study. Upon completion of the interconnection study, the Borough will notify the generator owner that the application has been approved or indicate why the application cannot be approved.
B. 
Pre-Interconnection Study Fee. The Borough will do a pre-interconnection study without charge up to the typical and customary cost that the Borough would expend for study work of similar type of customer interconnection. If the cost to the Borough is expected to exceed this typical and customary amount, or if multiple submittals by the generator owner are necessary, the Borough will advise the generator owner of the expected cost of such study work by the Borough before such work begins. The generator owner will be responsible for payment of all costs above the typical and customary amount.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
Upon approval by the Borough that certain generating unit's protective devices and/or system(s) meet the standards set out in these regulations, such approval shall be made available to the appropriate manufacturer upon written request. For subsequent applications using some or all of the identical generating unit's protective devices and/or systems, the applicant may submit a copy of the approval with the application as proof that its equipment has already been approved for use on the Borough's system. Use of pre-approved equipment will not eliminate any applicable requirement for a pre-interconnection study to determine the suitability of the equipment for each application, given the unique arrangements and characteristics of both the generator owner and Borough systems at the point of the interconnection.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
1. 
The generator owner can connect their generation to the Borough system only after the interconnection application has been approved and the generation owner has received approval notification.
2. 
Portable generators typically used for limited powering of electrical needs during emergency power outages; this equipment is not hardwired to the building's electrical system. It is typically connected to a limited number of appliances through a plug or extension cord. The capacity of these generators is limited. No permit is required.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
The generator owner will install a warning label in a conspicuous place on their electric meter or meter box to notify the Borough personnel that there is a generator source installed on the load side of the meter. The warning label shall not be placed in a location that would interfere with the ability of Borough personnel to read the electric meter. The warning label must be placed before the generation can be interconnected.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
1. 
If a generator owner generates more power than utilized, the generator owner shall receive a credit up to the amount of the generator owner's consumption of electricity during a base year. A base year shall be considered the electric usage between March 1 and February 28 (29th during leap years). A generator owner shall be permitted to carry a credit forward during the current base year. As of the end of each base year, the Borough shall reconcile a generator owner's account and provide any necessary credits and reset the generator owner's account to zero on March 1. Under no circumstances will the Borough make any payments to the generator owner for the generation of power.
2. 
Regardless of any credits due to a generator owner, the generator owner shall be responsible to pay the Borough the standard distribution and capacity charges.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
1. 
The Borough may disconnect a distributed generation unit under the following conditions:
A. 
Application Termination: upon termination of the approved interconnection application.
B. 
Noncompliance. For noncompliance with the technical guidelines specified in this document or other requirement contained in the applicable customer tariff, provided that the Borough has given notice to the generator owner and provided the generator owner reasonable time (consistent with the condition) to correct such noncompliance. The Borough will reconnect the unit only upon receipt of certification from the generator owner and verification by the Borough that the unit is in compliance. The Borough will provide verification within a reasonable time period. The Borough may charge a reconnection fee of $100. The Borough may, from time to time, change the reconnection fee by resolution.
C. 
In case of a system emergency outage of the Borough electrical sources: The generator owner's generation equipment must be installed and configured so that parallel operation must automatically cease immediately and automatically during outages or loss of the Borough electric source in accordance with these guidelines. The generation owner must also cease parallel operation upon notification by the Borough of a system emergency, abnormal condition or in cases where such operation is determined to be unsafe, interferes with the supply of service to other customers or interferes with the Borough's system maintenance or operation. In addition, the Borough may disconnect the generator from the system for system emergencies without notice.
D. 
For routine maintenance and repairs: The Borough may disconnect a customer/generation owner for routine maintenance and repairs on the Borough system consistent with applicable tariffs and agreements. The Borough will reconnect the customer/generation owner as quickly as possible following any such service interruption.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
The generation owner may terminate the approved interconnection application upon 30 days' written notice to the Borough. The Borough may terminate the interconnection application for cause. The generator owner must give the Borough notice that it intends to permanently shut down his generation. If the interconnection is terminated under this section, the generator owner must pay a reconnection fee of $100 plus any other costs it owes to the Borough before the generator owner shall be permitted to reconnect. The Borough may, from time to time, change the reconnection fee by resolution.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
In the course of processing applications for parallel operations and in the conduct of pre-interconnection studies, the generation owner shall provide the Borough with detailed information concerning the proposed distributed generation project and note as privileged, on each applicable sheet and information considered privileged. If any submitted information is requested by a third party, notice shall be given by the Borough to the generator owner. It shall be the responsibility of the generation owner to legally challenge the release of this information.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
All customer-owned electric generators that are connected to the Borough's electric system must comply with and be in accordance with the Technical Guidelines attached to this Part 12 as Exhibit A[1] and dated December 21, 2009. The Borough may amend the Technical Guidelines, from time to time, by passage of a resolution by Borough Council.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said exhibit is on file in the Borough offices.
[Ord. 2010-01, 1/25/2010; as amended by Ord. 2017-03, 6/12/2017]
The provisions of Part 12 shall be enforced in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5, Part 1, including, but not limited to, all order, fine, penalty, violation, and condemnation provisions.