Section R. 460.960 - System impact study agreement, scope, procedure, and review meetingRule 60. For all DERs being studied individually, all of the following apply:
(a) An electric utility shall provide the applicant a system impact study agreement within 5 business days of proceeding to this rule.(b) A system impact study agreement must include all of the following:(i) An outline of the scope of the study.(ii) The applicable fee, including appropriate credit for any studies previously completed pursuant to the fast track or non-export track.(iii) If necessary, a list of any additional and reasonable technical data needed from the applicant to perform the system impact study.(iv) A timeline for completion of the system impact study.(v) A list of the information that must be provided to the applicant in the system impact study report.(c) An applicant who has requested a system impact study shall return the completed system impact study agreement, provide any additional technical data requested by the electric utility, and pay the required fee within 20 business days. An electric utility may consider the application withdrawn if the system impact study agreement, payment, and required technical data are not returned within 20 business days.(d) A system impact study must identify and describe the electric system impacts that would result if the proposed DER was interconnected without electric system modifications. A system impact study must provide a non-binding good faith list of facilities that are required as a result of the application and non-binding estimates of costs and time to construct these facilities.(e) An electric utility shall explain in its interconnection procedures the process for conducting system impact studies on DERs when there is an affected system issue.(f) The electric utility shall complete the system impact study and transmit a system impact study report to the applicant within 60 business days after the receipt of the signed system impact study agreement, payment of the system impact study fee, and any necessary technical data. If necessary, the electric utility shall transmit a facilities study agreement to the applicant within 60 business days of receipt of the signed system impact study agreement, payment of all applicable fees, and any necessary technical data.(g) An electric utility may request reasonable additional data from the applicant within 20 business days of beginning the system impact study. The electric utility and the applicant shall work together to resolve the additional data request so that the electric utility will be able to complete the system impact study within 60 business days as specified in subdivision (f) of this rule. If the applicant does not provide the requested additional data in a timely manner, the electric utility shall notify the applicant that the system impact study is on hold and the date the hold started. The electric utility shall resume work on the study on the date the additional data is received.(h) Within 15 business days of receiving the system impact study report, the applicant shall notify the electric utility that it plans to pursue a system impact study review meeting, proceed to a facilities study pursuant to R 460.962, or withdraw the application. If the applicant fails to notify the electric utility within 15 business days, the electric utility may consider the application to be withdrawn.(i) Upon request by the applicant pursuant to subdivision (h) of this rule, the electric utility and the applicant shall schedule a system impact study review meeting between the electric utility and the applicant to review system impact study results and determine what further steps are needed to permit the DER to be connected safely and reliably to the distribution system. The system impact study review meeting must take place within 25 business days of the electric utility receiving notification that the applicant plans to attend a system impact study review meeting.(j) At the system impact study review meeting, the electric utility shall offer the applicant the option to withdraw the interconnection application, and 1 of the following options: (i) Proceed to a facilities study pursuant to R 460.962.(ii) Proceed directly to R 460.964 for an interconnection agreement.(k) Following the meeting, the applicant has not more than 45 business days to decide on a course of action. If an applicant fails to notify the electric utility within 45 business days, the electric utility may consider the application to be withdrawn.(l) The system impact study review meeting may occur in-person or via telecommunications.Mich. Admin. Code R. 460.960
2023 MR 8, Eff. 4/25/2023