Ariz. Admin. Code § 14-2-2619

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 25, June 21, 2024

Section R14-2-2619 - Level 3 Study Track

A. A Customer interconnecting a Generating Facility with a Maximum Capacity of 2 MW or greater, or a Generating Facility that does not meet the screening requirements for Level 1 Super Fast Track, Level 2 Fast Track, or Supplemental Review, shall apply for Interconnection under the Level 3 Study Track Application process.

B. An Applicant may request a pre-application meeting with the Utility to discuss the proposed design, installation, and operation of the Generating Facility prior to submission of an Application.

C. The Level 3 Study Track shall proceed as follows:

1. Within 14 calendar days after transfer from Level 1 Super Fast Track, transfer from Level 2 Fast Track, or transfer from Supplemental Review, a Utility shall review the Application and provide the Applicant notice:

a. That the Application satisfies all requirements under R14-2-2614(B); or

b. That the Application does not satisfy one or more requirements under R14-2-2614(B), in which case:

i. The Utility shall specify the additional information or documents required;

ii. The Applicant shall submit the specified information or documents; and iii. The Application may be deemed withdrawn if the Applicant does not submit the required information or documents within 30 calendar days.

2. Within 30 calendar days following provision of notice under (C)(1)(a) or R14-2-2614(D)(1), the Utility shall review the Application and notify the Applicant of one of the following determinations:

a. The Generating Facility design appears to meet all of the applicable Interconnection requirements; no further studies, special protective requirements, or system modifications are required; and the Application is deemed complete and approved for Interconnection; or

b. The Generating Facility does not meet one or more of the Utility's Interconnection requirements, which shall be specified, and cannot be interconnected without further information, data, engineering studies, or modifications to the Distribution System or Generating Facility; the Interconnection shall proceed according to a meeting and study process deemed necessary by the Utility; itemized costs and timelines for the studies will be disclosed and agreed upon by the Utility and Applicant prior to the start of each one; and all studies will be made available to the Applicant.

3. Within 21 calendar days after notice is provided under subsection (C)(2)(b), a Scoping Meeting may be conducted to discuss which studies are needed, and the Utility shall provide to the Customer at the Scoping Meeting an acknowledgement letter describing the project scope and including a good faith estimate of the cost.

4. If requested by the Customer, the Utility shall undertake a Feasibility Study. The Utility shall provide the Customer, within 14 calendar days after the Scoping Meeting, a Feasibility Study agreement including an outline of the scope of the study and a non-binding, good faith estimate of the cost of the materials and labor needed to perform the study. The Utility shall conduct the Feasibility Study after the Customer executes the Feasibility Study agreement, provides all requested information necessary to complete the Feasibility Study, and pays the estimated costs.

a. The Feasibility Study shall be completed within 45 calendar days.

b. The Feasibility Study:

i. Shall include review of short circuit currents, including contribution from the proposed generator, as well as coordination of and potential overloading of distribution circuit protection devices;

ii. Shall provide initial details and ideas on the complexity and likely costs to interconnect prior to commitment of costly engineering review; and

iii. May be used to focus or eliminate some or all of the more intensive System Impact Study.

5. If deemed necessary by the Customer or the Utility, the Utility shall undertake a System Impact Study. The Utility shall provide the Customer, within 14 calendar days after completing the previous study or meeting, a System Impact Study agreement including an outline of the scope of the study and a non-binding, good faith estimate of the cost of the materials and labor needed to perform the study. The Utility shall conduct the System Impact Study after the Customer executes the System Impact Study agreement, provides all requested Customer information necessary to complete the System Impact Study, and pays any required deposit of the estimated costs.

a. The System Impact Study shall be completed within 45 calendar days.

b. The System Impact Study shall reveal all areas where the Distribution System would need to be upgraded to allow the Generating Facility to be built and interconnected as designed and may include discussions with the Customer about potential alterations to generator design, including downsizing to limit grid impacts, as well as operational limits that would limit grid impacts if implemented.

c. If the Utility determines, in accordance with Good Utility Practice, that the Distribution System modifications required to accommodate the proposed Interconnection are not substantial, the System Impact Study shall identify the scope and detailed cost of the modifications.

d. If the Utility determines, in accordance with Good Utility Practice, that the system modifications to the Distribution System are substantial, a Facilities Study shall be performed.

e. Each Utility shall include in its Interconnection Manual a description of the various elements of a System Impact Study it would typically undertake pursuant to this Section, including:

i. Load flow study;

ii. Short-circuit study;

iii. Circuit protection and coordination study;

iv. Impact on system operation;

v. Stability study, and the conditions justifying inclusion; and

vi. Voltage collapse study, and the conditions justifying inclusion.

6. The Utility shall undertake a Facilities Study if needed based on the outcome of the System Impact Study. The Utility shall provide the Customer, within 14 calendar days after completing the previous study or meeting, a Facilities Study agreement including an outline of the scope of the study and a non-binding, good faith estimate of the cost of the materials and labor needed to perform the study. The Utility shall conduct the Facilities Study after the Customer executes the Facilities Study agreement, provides all requested Customer information necessary to complete the study, and pays the estimated costs.

a. The Facilities Study shall be completed within 45 calendar days.

b. The Facilities Study shall delineate the detailed costs of construction and milestones. Construction may include new circuit breakers, relocation of reclosers, new Utility grid extensions, reconductoring lines, new transformers, protection requirements, and interaction.

7. If the Generating Facility meets all of the applicable Interconnection requirements, all items identified in any meeting or study have been resolved and agreed to, and the Utility has received the final design drawings, then:

a. The Utility shall send to the Customer, within seven calendar days, an executable Interconnection Agreement, which shall include as an exhibit the cost for any required Distribution System modifications;

b. The Customer shall review, sign, and return the Interconnection Agreement and any balance due for Interconnection studies or required deposit for facilities; and

c. The Customer shall then complete installation of the Generating Facility, and the Utility shall complete any Distribution System modifications, according to the requirements set forth in the Interconnection Agreement. The Utility shall employ best reasonable efforts to complete such system upgrades in the shortest time practical.

8. Once an Application is approved, the Generating Facility shall be subject to R14-2-2621.

D. A Utility may not charge a fee for an additional review under subsection (C), unless a tariff containing such a fee is approved for the Utility by the Commission.

E. A Customer shall have the responsibility for any costs of Utility facilities and equipment modifications necessary to accommodate the Customer's Interconnection.

F. If the Generating Facility's operating characteristics can be modified such that improvements to the Distribution System are reduced or not required, and both the Utility and Customer agree on the operating characteristics, the Customer shall have the opportunity to modify the Generating Facility's operating characteristics to reduce facility costs.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R14-2-2619

Adopted by final rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 473, effective 2/25/2020.