PGE's new AC lockable requirement [RE-wrenches]

[Joel Davidson]

<x-flowed>

This is really good news. It's good to see another big utility make 
interconnection easier. I strongly recommend Wrenches lobby their electric 
service provider to stop requiring AC disconnects.

 A little history: In 1996, before net metering became California law, 
utilities were trying decide interconnection requirements. The engineering 
starting point was Standing Order 4 contract requirements but SO4 was for 
big on-site generators. PV Alliance members facilitated by Vince Schwent 
(formerly with the California Energy Commission) tried to tell utilities 
that there were big differences between residential PV and commercially 
owned generators. Wayne Gould (formerly with Southern California Edison) was 
one of the few utility manager that understood what PV people were saying. 
Wayne said (paraphrase) "SCE doesn't need a locking disconnect. If we have 
to disconnect the PV system, we can pull the meter that belongs to Edison." 
Wayne understood that inverters had anti-islanding protection and that at 
least 2 disconnects (the backfeed breaker and the service panel main 
breaker) also could be shut off.

Joel Davidson
"Who says that the utilities have no competition? They may be natural 
monopolies now, but tomorrow they may be natural deaths. To avoid this 
prospect, they too will have to develop fuel cells, solar energy and other 
power sources.To survive, they themselves will have to plot the obsolescence 
of what now produces their livelihood." written 1960 by Theodore Levitt in 
his classic Harvard Business Review essay "Marketing Myopia" 
http://www.carreirasolo.org/archives/arquivos/MarketingMyopia.pdf

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric Stromberger" <erics at mcn.org>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 6:10 AM
Subject: PGE's new AC lockable requirement [RE-wrenches]




Hi All,  Thought this would be of interest.

From: "Turner, David L" <DLTk at pge.com>
Date: November 21, 2006 7:10:35 PM PST (CA)
Cc: "McAuley, Arthur K \(ET\)" <AKM3 at pge.com>, "O'Leary, Mark \(ET\)"
<MEO5 at pge.com>, "Skillman, Fred R \(ET\)" <FRS1 at pge.com>, "Aldridge,
Madeleine \(ET\)" <MEG5 at pge.com>, "Wilhelm, Mark \(ET\)" <MRW6 at pge.com>
Subject: MAJOR CHANGE TO AC DISCONNECT SWITCH POLICY FOR INVERTER-
BASED GENERATION

Vendors:
         Below is an important announcement regarding changes to
PG&E's policy on AC disconnect switches for inverter-based
generators.  Please read immediately.

Dave Turner
Project Manager, Net-Metering Program
Pacific Gas and Electric Company

p.s. Happy Thanksgiving as well!


For Immediate Release – AC Disconnect Switches for Inverter-Based
Generation


In response to your requests and in support of the California Solar
Initiative, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has modified its
policy regarding the installation of an AC disconnect switch on
inverter-based generation systems.  This includes photovoltaic (PV),
fuel-cell, and inverter-based rotating machine technologies.
Effective November 21, 2006, customers installing inverter-based
systems will no longer be required to include an AC disconnect switch
when the facility has a self-contained electric revenue meter (i.e.
0-320 amp socket-based meter or 400 amp K-based meters).  This type
of meter is used by 98% of all PG&E customers.

To accommodate this change while maintaining utility operating needs,
the revenue meter, when appropriate, may be temporarily removed by
PG&E to isolate the customer’s generator from the electric
distribution system.  Removal of the revenue meter (due to an
emergency or maintenance on PG&E’s system) will result in loss of
electrical service to the customer’s facility or residence.

PG&E recommends that customers installing an inverter-based generator
consider also installing an AC disconnect switch to facilitate
maintenance of the customer’s equipment (i.e. inverter, PV arrays,
etc).  The AC disconnect switch provides the additional benefit of
allowing PG&E to isolate the customer’s generator from the utility’s
distribution system without having to interrupt service to the
customer’s facility or residence.

PG&E’s AC disconnect requirement for Distributed Energy Resources
(Distributed Generation) will continue to apply to:

         1)  Inverter-based interconnections having a transformer-
rated meter (i.e. all meter panels or switchboards employing the use
of potential and current transformers).

2)  Non-inverter based generators, including rotating or machine-
based generators - regardless of whether the service meter
configuration is transformer-rated or self-contained.

3)  Special situations where generators may be impacting PG&E’s
service to its customers.

Please note: PG&E requires that access to the meter area not be
impeded by animals, locked gates, or other obstacles and that the
meter remain accessible at all times.  Special arrangements can be
made to provide secure access by PG&E personnel, as required.
Contact PG&E for information.

If you have any questions about the new policy or its implementation,
please contact Dave Turner at 415-973-2213 or Mark O'Leary at
415-972-5265.





Eric Stromberger

Mendocino Solar Service
--
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & how to change your email address: 
www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com


- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at homepower.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------






</x-flowed>