grid tie utility metering requirements [RE-wrenches]

[Steve Bell]

Hi Todd,

My utility is Commonwealth Edison (Chicago and greater northeast Illinois).
They allow up to 40 kW of generating capacity, per account, to be grid-tied.
The owner is required to supply a lockable outside disconnect for the RE
system. ComEd replaces the standard kWh meter with a special 2 channel
digital meter that data logs all power in and out of the meter. They also
install a dedicated  cell phone that is used to download the logged data.
They do all this at their expense. The only additional cost to the customer
is the lockable disconnect.

For systems with less than 25 kW of generating capacity, ComEd does a simple
inspection of the system to insure that the grid-tie inverter has all the
"normal" safety features and that the system appears generally safe.

(FYI, they accept any of the versions of the SW-family as safe to grid tie.
Let's face it, any of the software versions will disconnect from the grid in
less than a second if the grid goes down.)

The contact person for ComEd is Denise Bechem, Senior Energy Engineer. She
is in charge of the grid-tie program. They call it the Wind and Photovoltaic
Pricing Experiment. Her work number is 630-684-3784.

There are no added charges for enrolling in the program nor are there any
additional ongoing charges for the service. Com Ed "pays" the customer the
same amount per kWh as they charged the customer for their electricity.
Minor monthly payments (credits) are make throughout the year, at the end of
the contract year the accounts are balanced. All in all a great deal and
ComEd was very friendly about the whole process. (Illinois does not have a
state net metering law, ComEd choose to implement this program on their
own.)

I hope more utilities take this sort of approach to grid-tied RE systems.
Then there would much less need for Guerilla Solar. I believe that the
attitudes of many of the utilities is the main cause of guerilla activity.

Sincerely,
Steve Bell
SunWize Technologies
Stelle Office
sebpv at stelle.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Cory, Bald Mtn. Solar" <toddcory at jps.net>
To: "Wrenches" <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2001 06:46 PM
Subject: grid tie utility metering requirements [RE-wrenches]



> I am curious if wenches can share with me what other utilities in CA
> (and the rest of the country) are mandating for
> intertie meter changes and associated charges. When I contact the PP&L
> engineer I want to be informed of what the norm is.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Todd Cory


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