[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Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Ch. 13,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:
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.
Borough of Watsontown (hereinafter called "Borough").
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.
An electrical generating unit of less than 1 MW, which may
be connected to the Borough electric system.
The owner of the generating system that is interconnected
to the Borough electric system.
The interconnected arrangement of lines and transformers
that make up the Borough electric power system.
IEEE Standard entitled "Recommended Practice for Utility
Interface of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems," P929 Draft 1.1, dated July
1999, or subsequent approved revision thereof.
The physical connection of distributed generation to the
Borough system in accordance with these guidelines so that parallel
operation can occur.
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.
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.
A portion of the utility system which contains both load
and distributed generation and is isolated from the remainder of the
utility system.
Any electrical connection between the Borough system and
the generator owner's generating source.
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.
Specific generating and protective equipment system or systems
that have been approved by the Borough as meeting the applicable parts
of this document.
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.
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.
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.
A distributed generation 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]
Where generation is capable of exporting power to the Borough
system, the interconnection study may result in more stringent interconnection
requirements.
[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.
