Senate File 29 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY KIBBIE Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act providing for the development of a standardized 2 interconnection agreement applicable to utilization by small 3 wind energy conversion facilities. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1445XS 83 6 rn/nh/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 476.48 INTERCONNECTION 1 2 AGREEMENTS == SMALL WIND ENERGY CONVERSION FACILITIES. 1 3 1. The board shall develop a standardized interconnection 1 4 agreement which may be adopted and utilized by electric 1 5 utilities to interconnect with a small wind energy conversion 1 6 facility. For purposes of this section, a "small wind energy 1 7 conversion facility" means a wind turbine with a nameplate 1 8 generating capacity of less than five hundred kilowatts which 1 9 generates electricity primarily for on=site consumption. 1 10 2. The interconnection agreement shall set forth the 1 11 contractual conditions under which an electric utility and a 1 12 customer agree that a small wind energy conversion facility 1 13 may be interconnected with the utility. The agreement shall 1 14 specify or provide, at a minimum, the following: 1 15 a. A low=cost, safe, and standardized method or process 1 16 for interconnection. 1 17 b. The recognition of differing system requirements and 1 18 hardware, as well as the overall demand load requirements of 1 19 individual electric utilities. 1 20 c. Reasonable terms and conditions, consistent with the 1 21 cost and operating characteristics of applicable technologies, 1 22 to provide the electric utility and the customer with a 1 23 reasonable assurance of the safe, reliable, and efficient 1 24 operation of the interconnected equipment. 1 25 3. An electric utility may modify the provisions of the 1 26 standardized interconnection agreement as the utility 1 27 determines necessary to accomplish the provisions of 1 28 subsection 2. An electric utility subject to rate regulation 1 29 shall submit proposed modifications to the board for review 1 30 and approval. 1 31 4. To facilitate interconnection, the board shall also 1 32 establish an interconnection application form which may be 1 33 distributed by an electric utility or otherwise made available 1 34 to customers interested in interconnection. 1 35 5. An electric utility shall, regardless of whether it has 2 1 adopted the standardized interconnection agreement or 2 2 distributes or makes available the interconnection application 2 3 form, respond to a request or application by a small wind 2 4 energy conversion facility for interconnection with the 2 5 utility within sixty days from receipt of the request or 2 6 application. 2 7 6. Each electric utility shall maintain records concerning 2 8 applications received for interconnection with a small wind 2 9 energy conversion facility. The records shall include the 2 10 date each application is received, documents generated in the 2 11 course of processing each application, correspondence 2 12 regarding each application, and the final disposition of the 2 13 application. Based on these records, the utility shall file 2 14 with the board by a date determined by the board by rule an 2 15 interconnection report for the preceding calendar year 2 16 containing the following: 2 17 a. The number of applications received for interconnection 2 18 and their disposition. 2 19 b. Identification of each small wind energy conversion 2 20 facility interconnected with the utility's distribution 2 21 system, the capacity of the facility, and the point of 2 22 interconnection. 2 23 c. The number of discontinued interconnections during the 2 24 preceding calendar year. 2 25 EXPLANATION 2 26 This bill directs the Iowa utilities board to develop a 2 27 standardized interconnection agreement which may be adopted 2 28 and used by electric public utilities to interconnect with a 2 29 small wind energy conversion facility. The bill defines a 2 30 "small wind energy conversion facility" as a wind turbine with 2 31 a nameplate generating capacity of less than 500 kilowatts 2 32 which generates electricity primarily for on=site consumption. 2 33 The bill provides that the terms of the agreement shall 2 34 specify the contractual conditions for interconnection, and 2 35 reflect or contain a low=cost, safe, and standardized 3 1 interconnection process, recognition of differing system 3 2 requirements and hardware and the overall demand load 3 3 requirements of individual utilities, and terms and conditions 3 4 which provide a reasonable assurance of the safe, reliable, 3 5 and efficient operation of the interconnected equipment. The 3 6 bill authorizes a utility to modify the provisions of the 3 7 agreement as it determines necessary, and requires a utility 3 8 subject to the board's rate regulation authority to submit 3 9 proposed modifications to the board for review and approval. 3 10 The bill also directs the board to develop an application 3 11 form for distribution by a utility to customers interested in 3 12 interconnection. The bill states that whether or not a 3 13 utility adopts the standardized interconnection agreement or 3 14 distributes the application form, the utility must respond to 3 15 a request or application by a small wind energy conversion 3 16 facility for interconnection within 60 days. The bill 3 17 specifies record=keeping and reporting requirements applicable 3 18 to small wind energy conversion system interconnections. 3 19 LSB 1445XS 83 3 20 rn/nh/5