Section 20. Definitions

The following terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Affected system" means an electric utility system other than that of the utility that may be affected by the proposed interconnection.

"Affected system operator" means an entity that operates an affected system or, if the affected system is under the operational control of an independent system operator or a regional transmission entity, such independent entity.

"Applicable laws and regulations" means all duly promulgated applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, rules, ordinances, codes, decrees, judgments, directives, or judicial or administrative orders, permits and other duly authorized actions of any government authority.

"Attachment facilities" means the facilities and equipment owned, operated, and maintained by the utility that are built new in order to physically connect the customer's interconnection facilities to the utility system. Attachment facilities shall not include distribution upgrades or previously existing distribution and transmission facilities.

"Business day" means Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.

"Certified" has the meaning ascribed to it in Schedule 2 of this chapter.

"Commission" means the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

"Competitive service provider" means any entity, other than the utility, supplying electric energy service to the interconnection customer.

"Customer's interconnection facilities" means all of the facilities and equipment owned, operated and maintained by the interconnection customer, between the small generating facility and the point of interconnection necessary to physically and electrically interconnect the small generating facility to the utility system.

"Default" means the failure of a breaching party to cure its breach under the small generator interconnection agreement.

"Distribution system" means the utility's facilities and equipment generally delivering electricity to ultimate customers from substations supplied by higher voltages (usually at transmission level). For purposes of these regulations, all portions of the utility's transmission system regulated by the commission for which interconnections are not within Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction are considered also to be subject to these interconnection regulations.

"Distribution upgrades" means the additions, modifications, and upgrades to the utility's distribution system at or beyond the point of interconnection necessary to abate problems on the utility's distribution system caused by the interconnection of the small generating facility. Distribution upgrades do not include customer's interconnection facilities or attachment facilities.

"Facilities study" has the meaning ascribed to it in 20VAC5-314-70 E.

"Feasibility study" has the meaning ascribed to it in 20VAC5-314-70 C.

"FERC" means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

"Good Utility Practice" means any of the practices, methods and acts engaged in or approved by a significant portion of the electric industry during the relevant time period, or any of the practices, methods and acts which, in the exercise of reasonable judgment in light of the facts known at the time the decision was made, could have been expected to accomplish the desired result at a reasonable cost consistent with good business practices, reliability, safety and expedition. Good Utility Practice is not intended to be limited to the optimum practice, method, or act to the exclusion of all others, but rather to be acceptable practices, methods, or acts generally accepted in the region.

"Governmental authority" means any federal, state, local or other governmental regulatory or administrative agency, court, commission, department, board, or other governmental subdivision, legislature, rulemaking board, tribunal, or other governmental authority having jurisdiction over the parties, their respective facilities, or the respective services they provide, and exercising or entitled to exercise any administrative, executive, police, or taxing authority or power; provided that such term does not include the interconnection customer, the utility or a utility affiliate.

"Interconnection customer" or "IC" means any entity proposing to interconnect a new small generating facility with the utility system.

"Interconnection request" means the IC's request, in accordance with this chapter, to interconnect a new small generating facility, or to increase the capacity of, or make a material modification to the operating characteristics of, an existing small generating facility that is interconnected with the utility system.

"Interconnection studies" means the studies conducted by the utility, or a third party agreed to by the utility and the interconnection customer, in order to determine the interaction of the small generating facility with the utility system and the affected systems in order to specify any modifications to the small generating facility or the electric systems studied to ensure safe and reliable operation of the small generating facility in parallel with the utility system.

"Material modification" means a modification that has a material impact on the cost or timing of any interconnection request with a later queue priority date.

"Operating requirements" means any operating and technical requirements that may be applicable due to regional transmission entity, independent system operator, control area, or the utility's requirements, including those set forth in the Small Generator Interconnection Agreement.

"Party" or "parties" means the utility, interconnection customer, or both.

"Point of interconnection" means the point where the customer's interconnection facilities connect to the utility system.

"Regional Transmission Entity" or "RTE" means an entity having the management and control of a utility's transmission system as further set forth in § 56-579 of the Code of Virginia.

"Small generating facility" or "generator" or "SGF" means the interconnection customer's equipment for the production of electricity identified in the interconnection request.

"Small Generator Interconnection Agreement" or "SGIA" means the agreement between the utility and the interconnection customer as set forth in Schedule 6 of 20VAC5-314-170.

"Supplemental review" has the meaning ascribed to it in 20VAC5-314-60 I.

"System" or "utility system" means the distribution and transmission facilities owned, controlled, or operated by the utility that are used to deliver electricity.

"System impact study" has the meaning ascribed to in 20VAC5-314-70 D.

"Tariff" means the rates, terms and conditions filed by the utility with the commission for the purpose of providing commission-regulated electric service to retail customers.

"Transmission system" means the utility's facilities and equipment delivering electric energy to the distribution system, such facilities being operated at voltages above the utility's typical distribution system voltages.

"Utility" means the public utility company subject to regulation by the commission pursuant to Chapter 10 (§ 56-232 et seq.) of Title 56 of the Code of Virginia with regard to rates and/or service quality to which the interconnection customer proposes to interconnect a small generating facility.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 25, Issue 20, eff. May 21, 2009.

Statutory Authority

§§ 12.1-13 and 56-578 of the Code of Virginia.