[RE-wrenches] Supply side denial

[James Jefferson Jarvis]

Hopefully Wisconsin is better than Minnesota about this. As a former 
Wisconsin resident, I doubt it...but here is how some of this works in 
Minnesota, lest you have any illusion that a PSC or a state cares about you.

In Minnesota the state allows the utility to essentially make any 
interconnection rules they want.

Our local cooperative requires that you install a meter socket for a 
production only meter. And then buy the meter from them. The first time 
I got bit by this was after they had charged us hundreds of dollars to 
have an engineer review our plans, got approval, installed the system, 
and then they asked where the production only meter was. I said it 
wasn't on the plans their engineer approved and they said they didn't 
care and they wouldn't interconnect until that meter was there. Ended up 
having to rework a bunch and cost well over a $1,000 to get added.

Another game they play is skirting the 40kW state law guaranteed net 
metering cap. The same cooperative requires demand metering if your 
transformer is larger than 37.5 kVA. And their demand meter doesn't take 
into account direction. So if you are supplying them 40kW that counts as 
40kW of demand and *costs* $400 a month for demand charges. So you can 
really only connect 37.5 kW.

I attempted to make a complaint on both of these occasions to the state 
Public Utilities Commission. And found out that they don't regulate 
cooperatives. Apparently the state feels that since cooperatives are 
owned by members, they don't need any oversight. They told me that I 
could just run to be on the cooperative board. Which I decided to do. 
Then came to find out that the 60k member cooperative suspended board 
elections for 5 years due to a merger.

-James Jarvis

APRS World, LLC


On 10/28/2020 5:47 AM, Christopher Warfel wrote:
>
> I would think that would be illegal.  They don't have jurisdiction on 
> supply side taps. It's past the meter, and expressly allowed in the 
> NEC.  I would definitely first ask to talk to a higher level person 
> than the one denying it (paper trail important). If that does not 
> work, then the PSC is your best option.  Chris
>
> On 10/27/2020 6:27 PM, Kristopher Schmid wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I have a utility that is hinting that they are going to deny my 
>> interconnection application with a supply side connection and require 
>> a load side.  Has anyone seen this before?
>>
>> (Proposed interconnection would be with Milbank step lugs in a 200 A 
>> socket and a 60 A fused disconnect within 10 feet.)
>>
>> If they refuse it, i am thinking that registering a complaint with 
>> the Wisconsin PSC may be appropriate.
>>
>> Kris
>>
>>
>> Shine On!
>>
>> Kris Schmid
>> Legacy Solar, LLC
>> 137 West 1st Avenue
>> Luck, WI 54853
>> www.legacysolar.com <http://www.legacysolar.com>
>> 715-653-4295
>> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
>> Licensed Wisconsin Master Electrician
>> BSEE
>>
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-- 
-James Jefferson Jarvis
jj at aprsworld.com
+1-507-454-2727

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