42 U.S.C. § 18842: Model guidance for combined…

Summary

Definitions: Additional services — extra, backup, maintenance, or interruptible power a utility gives a customer. Waste heat to power system — a system that makes electricity by capturing wasted heat. Other key words use meanings from PURPA and EPCA. The Secretary of Energy, working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and others, must review rules within 180 days after November 15, 2021. The review looks at how interconnection and additional service rules affect generators up to 150 megawatts that connect to distribution or transmission lines. It must check how costs are set and how utilities get those costs back. Within 18 months after November 15, 2021, the Secretary must issue model guidance for states and nonregulated utilities to reduce the barriers found. The guidance must follow current best practices and protect safety and reliability, using relevant IEEE standards and state model codes. It must consider things like different rules for size or fuel, fast-track interconnection, consistency with FERC rules as of November 15, 2021, how outages affect fees, demand-charge rules, options for buying additional services (custom contracts, market purchases, or fee waivers for small customers), and possible benefits like better reliability, fuel diversity, improved power quality, and lower losses.

Title 42, §18842

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definitions

In this section: (1) Additional services

(2)Waste heat to power system

The term “waste heat to power system” means a system that generates electricity through the recovery of waste energy.

(3)Other terms

(A)Purpa

The terms “electric consumer”, “electric utility”, “interconnection service”, “nonregulated electric utility”, and “State regulatory authority” have the meanings given those terms in the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.), within the meaning of title I of that Act (16 U.S.C. 2611 et seq.).

(B)EPCA

The terms “combined heat and power system” and “waste energy” have the meanings given those terms in section 6341 of this title.

(b)Review

(1)In general

Not later than 180 days after November 15, 2021, the Secretary, in consultation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other appropriate entities, shall review existing rules and procedures relating to interconnection service and additional services throughout the United States for electric generation with nameplate capacity up to 150 megawatts connecting at either distribution or transmission voltage levels to identify barriers to the deployment of combined heat and power systems and waste heat to power systems.

(2)Inclusion

The review under this subsection shall include a review of existing rules and procedures relating to—

(A)determining and assigning costs of interconnection service and additional services; and

(B)ensuring adequate cost recovery by an electric utility for interconnection service and additional services.

(c)Model guidance

(1)In general

Not later than 18 months after November 15, 2021, the Secretary, in consultation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other appropriate entities, shall issue model guidance for interconnection service and additional services for consideration by State regulatory authorities and nonregulated electric utilities to reduce the barriers identified under subsection (b)(1).

(2)Current best practices

The model guidance issued under this subsection shall reflect, to the maximum extent practicable, current best practices to encourage the deployment of combined heat and power systems and waste heat to power systems while ensuring the safety and reliability of the interconnected units and the distribution and transmission networks to which the units connect, including—

(A)relevant current standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers; and

(B)model codes and rules adopted by—

(i)States; or

(ii)associations of State regulatory agencies.

(3)Factors for consideration

In establishing the model guidance under this subsection, the Secretary shall take into consideration—

(A)the appropriateness of using standards or procedures for interconnection service that vary based on unit size, fuel type, or other relevant characteristics;

(B)the appropriateness of establishing fast-track procedures for interconnection service;

(C)the value of consistency with Federal interconnection rules established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as of November 15, 2021;

(D)the best practices used to model outage assumptions and contingencies to determine fees or rates for additional services;

(E)the appropriate duration, magnitude, or usage of demand charge ratchets;

(F)potential alternative arrangements with respect to the procurement of additional services, including—

(i)contracts tailored to individual electric consumers for additional services;

(ii)procurement of additional services by an electric utility from a competitive market; and

(iii)waivers of fees or rates for additional services for small electric consumers; and

(G)outcomes such as increased electric reliability, fuel diversification, enhanced power quality, and reduced electric losses that may result from increased use of combined heat and power systems and waste heat to power systems.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(A), is Pub. L. 95–617, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3117. Title I (§ 101 et seq.) of the Act enacted subchapters I to IV of chapter 46 (§ 2611 et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation, and section 6808 of this title, and amended sections 6802 to 6807 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2601 of Title 16 and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Wage Rate RequirementsFor provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for

Construction

, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.

§18842 Model Guidance for Combined Heat and Power Systems and Waste Heat to Power Systems