On July 5, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) published a proposed rule to amend and reform interconnection procedures. Currently FERC requires that all public utilities that operate facilities used for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce have standard procedures, and a standard agreement for interconnecting generating facilities.
FERC states that it has not updated the Commission Orders concerning these procedures since their issuance. Significant changes have occurred since that time, including the emergence of new resources seeking to interconnect to transmission systems. FERC is therefore proposing several updates and/or modifications to the current procedures for interconnection including the following:
(1) Implement a first-ready, first-served cluster study process;
(2) Increase the speed of interconnection queue processing;
(3) Incorporate technological advancements into the interconnection process.
FERC states that the proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities and therefore has not prepared an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis.
Written comments on the proposed rule are due by October 13, 2022.
Advocacy will host a small business roundtable to discuss this rule on Thursday, September 29, 2022, at 2 p.m. (ET). Parties interested in receiving more information about the roundtable may contact Prianka Sharma at prianka.sharma@sba.gov.
- Read the proposed rule in the Federal Register and submit written comments.
- Advocacy contact: Send an email to Prianka Sharma at prianka.sharma@sba.gov or call (202) 205-6938.
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