Connecticut
Incentives/Policies for Renewables & Efficiency
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Last DSIRE Review: 02/13/2009
| Incentive Type: |
Interconnection |
| State: |
Connecticut |
| Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies: |
Photovoltaics,
Landfill Gas,
Wind,
Biomass,
Hydroelectric,
Fuel Cells,
Municipal Solid Waste,
CHP/Cogeneration,
Microturbines,
Other Distributed Generation Technologies
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| Applicable Sectors: |
Commercial,
Industrial,
Residential,
Nonprofit,
Schools,
Local Government,
State Government,
Fed. Government,
(All Electric Customers)
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| Applicable Utilities: | Investor-owned utilities
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| System Capacity Limit: | 20 MW |
| Standard Agreement: | Yes |
| Insurance Requirements: | Vary by system size and/or type; levels established by commission
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| External Disconnect Switch: | Required
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| Net Metering Required: | No |
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Authority 1:
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Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-243a
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Authority 2:
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CT DPUC Decision, Docket No. 03-01-15RE01
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| Date Enacted: | 12/5/2007 |
| Date Effective: | 12/5/2007 |
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Summary:
In December 2007, the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) approved new interconnection guidelines for distributed energy systems up to 20 megawatts (MW) in capacity. Connecticut's interconnection guidelines apply to the state's two investor-owned utilities -- Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) and United Illuminating Company (UI) -- and are modeled on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) interconnection standards for small generators.*
Connecticut's interconnection guidelines, like FERC's standards, include provisions for three levels of systems:- Certified, inverter-based systems no larger than 10 kilowatts (kW) in capacity;
- Certified systems no larger than 2 megawatts (MW) in capacity; and
- All other systems no larger than 20 MW in capacity. Note that the guidelines include "additional process steps" for generators greater than 5 MW.
Connecticut's guidelines include a standard interconnection agreement and application fees that vary by system type. However, Connecticut's guidelines are stricter than FERC's standards, differing from the federal standards in several significant ways:- Customers are required to install an external disconnect switch and an interconnection transformer.
- Customers must indemnify their utility against "all causes of action," including personal injury or property damage to third parties.
- Customers are required to maintain liability insurance in specified amounts based on the system's capacity.
- Utilities must collaboratively submit to the DPUC a status report on the research and development of area network interconnection standards.
The guidelines address requirements for study fees and include technical screens for each level of interconnection. Utilities and customers must follow general procedural timelines.
* FERC's interconnection standards are applicable to generator interconnections subject to FERC jurisdiction, whereas Connecticut's interconnection guidelines apply to state-jurisdiction interconnections, which typically occur at the distribution level. FERC standards were implemented by ISO-New England (ISO) in ISO Schedule 23, which is applicable to FERC-jurisdictional interconnections.
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Please note: The information on the DSIRE web site provides an overview of incentives and other policies, but it should not be used as the only source of information when making purchasing decisions, investment decisions, tax decisions or other binding agreements. Please refer to the individual contact provided in each record to verify that a specific incentive or other policy is applicable to your specific project.
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