Virginia SCC Opens Rulemaking on Revisions to Interconnection Regulations of Small Electrical Generators

On September 5, 2018, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (the “Commission”) issued an order initiating a rulemaking proceeding (the “Order”) to determine whether, and the extent to which, any of the Regulations Governing Interconnection of Small Electrical Generators (the “Interconnection Regulations”) should be revised.

The Interconnection Regulations, which establish interconnection and operating requirements of electric generating facilities with a rated capacity of 20 megawatts or less, were last adopted by the Commission in May 2009. In issuing its Order, the Commission concluded “it is appropriate to revisit the Interconnection Regulations and to make modifications, if necessary, due to changes in applicable laws, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission guidelines, and technological changes in the power industry.”

The Order directs Commission Staff to prepare and file a report on its findings and recommendations, including any proposed revisions that are developed with input from stakeholders and other interested persons. Commission Staff have prepared initial draft revisions to the regulations, which are available at http://scc.virginia.gov/pur/rulemak.aspx .

Comments to Commission Staff on the proposed revisions, as well as additional revisions, are due by February 14, 2019. Commission Staff have also scheduled a two-day working group meeting to discuss the proposed revisions to the Interconnection Regulations on March 13 and 14, 2019, in Richmond, Va. Additional information concerning submitting comments, and the two-day meeting, are described in the Commission’s letter, dated November 19, 2018, and available here.

For more information, please contact Brad Nowak, co-chair of Williams Mullen’s Solar Energy team.