Section 57.36. Interconnection costs

(a) Obligation to pay.

(1) A qualifying facility shall pay any reasonable additional—that is, incremental—connection costs above the costs to service the customer’s electrical load which an electric utility may incur to allow the utility to purchase power from the qualifying facility.

(2) A qualifying facility shall provide the equipment necessary for it to interconnect with the utility on the qualifying facility’s side of the interconnection point in a manner which is compatible with and meets the safety standards of the utility.

(3) The qualifying facility shall submit its interconnection plans and specifications to the utility. The utility shall accept or reject these plans within 60 days of receipt of all required documents. The utility’s acceptance or rejection shall be in writing. When plans or specifications are rejected, the utility shall identify and explain the rejection and identify actions necessary to cure the defects.

(4) The utility shall provide general interconnection requirements upon request.

(5) The qualifying facility may hire an independent contractor to perform interconnection work on the qualifying facility side of the interconnection. After the qualifying facility installs the necessary interconnection equipment, the utility can require an inspection before making the interconnection. The utility shall have this inspection conducted within 20 days of notice by the qualifying facility that the installation has been completed and shall provide the qualifying facility with the results of this inspection in writing within 5 working days. If after inspection the utility considers the interconnection to be unsatisfactory, the utility shall identify and explain the basis of its determination and described specific steps to remedy the defects. The utility shall bear the cost of this inspection.

(6) If the utility is performing interconnection work for the qualifying facility, the utility shall complete the work in a timely manner.

(b) Reimbursement of interconnection costs. Payments for the incremental interconnection costs described in subsection (a) may, at the option of the qualifying facility, be made either as one lump sum payment or be spread over a mutually agreeable period of 5 years or less. When the qualifying facility chooses to spread the payment over a reasonable time period, the payments to the utility shall include an interest payment to cover the utility’s allowed rate of return on common equity as last approved by the Commission.

The provisions of this § 57.36 adopted September 17, 1982, effective January 11, 1983, 12 Pa.B. 4237; amended December 29, 1995, effective December 30, 1995, 25 Pa.B. 6085. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (195604) to (195605).