Electric Generating Equipment Considerations
Considering the installation of electric generating equipment? AEP Ohio is ready to work with you on the safe and reliable interconnection of your electric generating equipment system with the AEP Ohio system.
Off-the-shelf portable generators, often used for backup or emergency power, should not be connected to your internal wiring without proper isolation from the AEP Ohio system.
However, if you are considering the installation of permanent electric generating equipment system (such as solar or wind) or an energy storage technology (such as a battery), which will be used often and connected to your internal wiring, we can help by reviewing your plans. Even though you may not plan to send electricity back to AEP Ohio, there are circumstances under which your generating equipment system could have an adverse impact on our system. Following the proper interconnection procedures is important for your safety and for the reliable operation of the AEP Ohio system and your generating equipment system. AEP Ohio approval of connecting a generator that will operate in parallel with our distribution or transmission system is required.
A permanent emergency standby or backup generator using a make-before-break transfer scheme where the generator is paralleled less than 100 milliseconds (6 cycles) with the AEP Ohio distribution or transmission system does not fall under the interconnection service rules. The systems must meet the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1008.
Please review the following relative information for the Interconnection of your generating equipment system:
- AEP Ohio Tariffs:
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Our Minimum Requirements for Interconnection Service will ensure the safe and reliable operation of customer generating equipment system that will operate in parallel with our transmission and distribution systems. These requirements are approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and also found in Chapter 4901:1-22 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
Installing a permanent renewable energy generating equipment system may qualify you for our Net Energy Metering Service.
All other permanent generating equipment systems with a generator capacity of 20 MW or less, may qualify for our COGEN/SPP Service.
- Interconnection Process:
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An overview of the Interconnection Process is available for your review.
- Pre-application Report:
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For general information regarding the interconnection of generating equipment systems, please contact our DG Coordinator via US mail, e-mail or phone as noted below.
Sometimes you may need more specific information about the AEP Ohio system as you are making plans to interconnect your generating equipment system. We can provide a Pre-application Report that will contain available pre-existing data that may be beneficial, particularly if you are considering a large generating equipment system and/or multiple locations. Simply complete the Pre-application Request for each location and mail it in with the $300 fee per location.
- Short Form Application:
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For generating equipment systems that have a capacity of 25 kW or less and utilize an inverter that is UL 1741 approved / IEEE 1547 compliant, the Short Form Application must be submitted.
Please review the Short Form Information for details you will need to prepare an acceptable application.
The AEP Ohio Technical Requirements for Interconnection Service of Distributed Generation < 25 kW are based on the IEEE 1547 requirements and serve to add clarity to the IEEE 1547 requirements or to specify requirements not addressed by IEEE 1547. These Technical Requirements of AEP Ohio shall not be in conflict with Chapter 4901:1-22 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
AEP Ohio will prepare and provide the Interconnection Agreement once the application is approved. Here is a sample of the Interconnection Agreement for inverter-based equipment that is < 25 kW.
- Standard Form Application:
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The Standard Form Application must be submitted for generating equipment systems that don’t qualify for the Short Form Application.
Please review the Standard Form Information for details you will need to prepare an acceptable application. The “Distributed Generation IEEE 1547.1 Testing Matrix” in the IEEE 1547.1 Templates spreadsheet must be fully populated and submitted with the Standard Application whenever the generating equipment system is not only a UL 1741 approved inverter-based system.
The AEP Ohio Technical Requirements for Interconnection Service are based on the IEEE 1547 requirements and serve to add clarity to the IEEE 1547 requirements or to specify requirements not addressed by IEEE 1547. These Technical Requirements of AEP Ohio shall not be in conflict with Chapter 4901:1-22 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
AEP Ohio will prepare and provide the Interconnection Agreement once the application is approved. Here is a sample of the Standard Interconnection Agreement.
For assistance, please contact our Distributed Generation Coordinator at:
AEP Ohio
Distributed Generation Coordinator
700 Morrison Road
Gahanna, OH 43230
Phone: 614-883-6775
E-mail: dgcoordinator-ohio@aep.com