SECTION III – SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS
BARTLETT ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
Electric Service
341. Distributed Generation.
This Section applies to the interconnection and parallel operation of Distributed Generation Facilities (DG) that are:
a. Qualifying Facilities (QF) - A QF, as defined by the Public Utility Regulatory Act of 1978 (PURPA), must have as its primary energy source biomass, waste, renewable resources, or geothermal resources,
b. Have a design capacity of less than 100 kilowatts, and
c. The Cooperative’s electric service to such facilities is less than 100 kVa..
If any part of this Section is found to be in conflict with any other provision of this Tariff, this Section shall control. By agreement, the Cooperative and the person or entity (the “Member”) operating a Distributed Generation (“DG”) Facility may establish additional or different terms, conditions, or rates for the sale or purchase of electricity.
A. Obtaining Interconnection.
Any Member owning or operating a DG as defined and covered under this Tariff, and desiring to interconnect with the Cooperative’s system shall:
1. Make application to the Cooperative for the operation of customer-owned generation interconnection, provide an easement satisfactory to the Cooperative, and comply with this Tariff, and all provisions of the Distributed Generation Procedures and Guidelines Manual for Members.
2. At least 60 days in advance of date that interconnection is desired, the Member shall submit a plan showing the electrical design of the DG Facility including equipment for interconnection with the Cooperative’s system. The Member shall also provide such additional information as may be required by the Cooperative. In the event the Member’s plan involves the use of non-standard equipment or design techniques, the Cooperative may require such plan to be approved by a registered professional engineer. Any review or acceptance of such plan by the Cooperative shall not impose any liability on the Cooperative and does not guarantee the adequacy of the Member’s equipment to perform its intended function. The Cooperative disclaims any expertise or special knowledge relating to the design or performance of DG Facilities and does not warrant the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, safety, durability, or reliability of DG Facilities.
3. Pay for Extension of Cooperative’s Facilities.
Comply with conditions for extension of the Cooperative’s distribution system as may be determined by the Cooperative in accordance with the line extension policy as determined by the Board of Directors. The Cooperative may require the Member to pay a contribution in aid-of-construction prior to any line extension.
4. Provide Liability Insurance.
Furnish a certificate from the Member’s insurance carrier showing satisfactory liability insurance including contractual liability insurance covering indemnity agreements which insures the Member against all claims for property damage and for personal injury or death arising out of, resulting from or in any manner connected with the installation, operation, and maintenance of the Member’s DG Facility. The amount of such insurance coverage shall be at least $1,000,000.00 per occurrence. The certificate shall also provide that the insurance policy will not be changed or cancelled during its term without 30 days written notice to the Cooperative.
5. Sign Contract.
Sign and deliver to the Cooperative an Agreement for Interconnection and Parallel Operation of a Distributed Generation Facility.
6. Complete Construction.
Construct the DG Facility and install a disconnect switch and other protective equipment as may be required by the Cooperative to protect its personnel, facilities, and operations.
7. Comply with Laws.
Comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and regulations applicable to power generating installations.
8. Notify Cooperative.
Notify the Cooperative in writing at least 30 days in advance of energizing the DG Facility and permit the Cooperative to inspect and test protective equipment.
9. Eliminate Conditions Preventing Interconnection.
In the event that it comes to the attention of the Cooperative that there are conditions preventing safe interconnection and proper parallel operation, the Cooperative will notify the Member and the Member shall not interconnect and/or initiate parallel operation until such conditions are corrected and the Member has provided at least 10 days written notice to the Cooperative.
B. Parallel Operation.
1. Installation.
With the exception of only the Cooperative’s meter(s), the Member shall own and be solely responsible for all expenses, installation, maintenance, and operation of the DG Facility at and beyond the point where the Member’s conductors contact Cooperative’s conductors. The Member’s generating installation shall be designed and installed in accordance with applicable codes, regulations, and prudent engineering practice.
2. Self-Protected Generating Installation.
The Member will furnish, install, operate, and maintain in good order and repair all equipment necessary for the safe operation of the DG Facility in parallel with the Cooperative’s electric distribution system. The equipment will have the capability to both establish and maintain synchronism with the Cooperative’s system and to automatically disconnect and isolate the DG Facility from the Cooperative’s system in the event of an outage of the Cooperative’s system or a malfunction of the DG Facility. The Member’s DG Facility will also be designed, installed, and maintained to be self-protected from normal and abnormal conditions in the Cooperative’s electric distribution system. The conditions for which the DG Facility shall be self-protected shall include, but not be limited to, overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent, frequency deviation, and faults. The self-protection will be compatible with the Cooperative’s system protection arrangements and operating policies. Specialized protection functions may be required by the Cooperative when, in the sole judgment of the Cooperative, the particular DG Facility characteristics and/or distribution system characteristics so warrant.
3. Quality of Service.
a. The Member’s DG Facility will generate power at the nominal voltage of the Cooperative’s electric distribution system at the Member’s delivery point plus or minus five percent (5%), and at the nominal system frequency of 60 hz or plus or minus one-tenth (1/10) hz. The Member’s DG Facility shall generate at a power factor that is as near one hundred percent (100%) as is practicable. In the event the power factor is less than 95%, or more than 105%, the Member will provide proper power factor correction [within five percent (5%) of unity] or reimburse the Cooperative for the cost of any necessary correction.
b. The overall quality of the power provided by the Member’s DG Facility including, but not limited to, the effects of harmonic distortion, voltage regulation, voltage flicker, switching surges, and power factor, will be such that the Cooperative’s electric distribution system is not adversely affected in any manner. In the event that adverse effects are caused in whole or in part by the Member’s DG Facility, the Member will correct the cause of such effects or reimburse the Cooperative for the cost of any required correction.
4. Safety Disconnect.
a. The Member, or at the Member’s option, the Cooperative, shall provide and install, at the Member’s expense, a visible break disconnect switch. The disconnect switch will be located so as to be readily accessible to the Cooperative personnel in a location acceptable to both the Member and the Cooperative. It shall be the type of switch that can be secured in an open position by a Cooperative padlock. The Cooperative shall have the right to lock the switch open whenever, in the judgment of the Cooperative, (1) it is necessary to maintain safe electrical operating or maintenance conditions, (2) the Member’s DG Facility adversely affects the Cooperative’s electric distribution system, or (3) there is a system emergency or other abnormal operating condition which warrants disconnection.
b. The Cooperative reserves the right to operate the disconnect for the protection of the Cooperative’s system even if it affects Member’s DG Facility. In the event the Cooperative opens and closes the disconnect switch, it shall not be responsible for energizing or restoration of parallel operation of the DG Facility. The Cooperative will make reasonable efforts to notify the Member in the event the disconnect switch has been operated. Neither the Member nor anyone acting on the Member’s behalf will bypass the disconnect switch at any time for any reason.
5. Access.
Persons authorized by the Cooperative will have the right to enter the Member’s property for the purpose of operating or inspecting the disconnect switch or metering. Such entry onto the Member’s property may be without notice. If the Member erects or maintains locked gates or other barriers, the Member will furnish the Cooperative with convenient means to circumvent the barrier for access to the disconnect switch and meter(s).
6. Modifications of Cooperative System.
In the event that it is necessary at the time of initial interconnection or at some future time for the Cooperative to modify its electric distribution system in order to purchase or continue to purchase Member’s output, the
Member will reimburse the Cooperative for all just and reasonable costs of modifications which are allocable to the Member’s DG Facility. The modifications may include, but are not limited to, special interconnection equipment, protective devices, control devices, and upgrading of distribution system components.
7. Liability for Injury and Damages.
a. The Member assumes full responsibility for electric energy furnished to the Member at and past the point of interconnection and will indemnify the Cooperative against and hold the Cooperative harmless from all claims for both injuries to persons, including death resulting therefrom, and damages to property, occurring upon the premises owned or operated by the Member arising from electric power energy delivered by Cooperative or in any way arising directly or indirectly from the Member’s DG Facility except (i ) when the negligence of Cooperative or its agent or agents was the sole proximate cause of injuries, including death therefrom, to the Member or to employees of the Member or in the case of a residential Customer/Member, to all members of the household; and (ii) as to all other injuries and damages, to the extent that injuries or damage are proximately caused by or result in whole or in part from (a) any negligence of Cooperative or its agent(s) independent of and unrelated to the maintenance of Cooperative’s facilities or any condition on the Member’s premises or (b) the breach by Cooperative of any provision of any contract regarding purchase and/or sale of electrical energy or service between Cooperative and the Member.
b. The Cooperative shall not be liable for either direct or indirect or consequential damages resulting from failures, interruptions, or voltage and wave form fluctuations occasioned by causes beyond the reasonable control of the Cooperative, including but not limited to, acts of God or public enemy, sabotage and/or vandalism, accidents, fire, explosion, labor troubles, strikes, order of any court or judge granted in any bona fide adverse legal proceeding or action, or any order of any commission, tribunal, or governmental authority having jurisdiction.
c. For claims resulting from failures, interruptions, or voltage and wave form fluctuations caused in whole or in part by the negligence of the Cooperative or its agent(s), the Cooperative shall be liable only for the portion of the damages arising from personal injury, death of persons, or costs of necessary repairs or reasonable
replacement of electrical equipment proximately caused by the negligent acts of the Cooperative or its agent(s). The Cooperative shall not be liable in any event for consequential damages.
8. Metering.
a. If the output of the Member’s DG Facility is to be purchased by the Cooperative, it will be measured by meters as required for the metering option chosen by the Cooperative. Any necessary meter(s) or meter modification in addition to one standard service meter will be installed, maintained, and operated by the Cooperative at the Member’s expense. A connection will be provided for the meter(s) at the Member’s expense in a location that is acceptable to both the Cooperative and the Member. The Cooperative may, at its own expense, supply, install, and maintain load research metering for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating the Member’s DG Facility.
b. The metered output of Member’s DG Facility will be read by the Cooperative.
c. The meter(s) will, by comparison with accurate standards, be tested and calibrated as often as necessary. The Member or the Cooperative may reasonably request such tests, and shall be given notice not less than 5 working days in advance of tests that are to be made. Both the Member and the Cooperative will have the right to be present at such tests. If a meter is found to be inaccurate, it shall be restored to an accurate condition or replaced. If the tests disclose that no unacceptable inaccuracies exist in the meter(s), then the party requesting the tests shall bear the expense of the tests. A report of the results of any tests shall be furnished promptly by the party making such tests to the other party. Any meter(s) registering a deviation of not more than two percent (2%) from normal shall be deemed accurate. The readings of any meter(s) that have been inaccurate shall be corrected according to the percentage of inaccuracy as determined by the tests for a period of no more than ninety (90) days prior to the tests. If any meter fails to register for any period, the facility output during such period shall be estimated in the best manner possible as agreed upon by the Cooperative and the Member.
9. Notice of Change in Installation.
Member will notify the Cooperative in writing thirthy (30) days in advance of making any change affecting the characteristics, performance, or protection of the Member’s DG Facility. If it comes to the Cooperative’s attention that the modification will create or has created conditions that may be unsafe or adversely affect the Cooperative’s system, then the Cooperative shall notify the Member and the Member immediately correct such condition.
10. Insurance.
Member shall continue to maintain insurance as required by the Cooperative prior to interconnection and shall provide proof of such insurance to the Cooperative at least annually. Failure to provide insurance as required in this Tariff will subject the Member to immediate disconnection from the Cooperative’s electrical system.
C. Member Relations.
1. Sales to Member.
Member’s rate class shall be designated by the Cooperative in accordance with the availability and type of service provisions in its rate schedules.
2. Purchases from Member.
a. The Cooperative will pay Member for all power purchased at the following rates:
i. Capacity - No payment except by separate firm power contract between the Member and the Cooperative.
ii. Energy – The metered kWh output from the Member will be purchased at the Cooperative’s total energy and fuel cost
divided by the total kWh’s purchased from the Cooperative’s wholesale provider as calculated from the most recent wholesale power bill.
b. In the event that the Member exercises the option to sell power to the Cooperative, there will be, in addition to the minimum monthly
bill requirements under the applicable service rate schedule(s), a monthly customer service charge for metering and billing as set by the Board of Directors.
2. Refusal to Purchase.
The Cooperative may, at certain times and as operating conditions warrant, reasonably refuse to accept part or all of the output of the Member’s DG Facility. Such refusal shall be based on system emergency constraints, special operating requirements, adverse effects of the Member’s DG Facility on the Cooperative’s system, or violation by the Member of the terms of the Agreement for Interconnection and Parallel Operation of Distributed Generation.
Approved on: June 20, 2006
Effective on: June 20, 2006
Revised on: May 22, 2008