Section III. Glossary of Terms

An electronic or mechanical switch used to isolate a circuit or piece of equipment from a source of power without the need for human intervention.

A commercially-available mechanical, electrical, or electro-chemical means to store and release electrical energy, using battery chemistries for grid-scale applications (e.g., lithium-ion), and its associated electrical inversion device and control functions that may stand-alone or be paired with a distributed generator at a point of common coupling. BESS’s shall comply with all ESS rules and requirements, unless otherwise specifically excepted.

Monday through Friday, excluding utility holidays.

Cessation of energy flow capability.

Any studies performed by utilities to ensure that the safety and reliability of the electric grid with respect to the interconnection of distributed generation as discussed in this document.

A transformer installed by the utility to isolate a DG system.

The applicant or the contractor identified in Appendix F as the agent for the customer. A single developer includes all legal entities associated or affiliated with a given company (“Affiliates”) where Affiliates means any person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, any other person; where “control” shall mean the ownership of, with right to vote, 50 percent or more of the outstanding voting securities, equity, membership interests, or equivalent, of such person.

Remote operation of a circuit breaker by means of a communication channel.

To isolate a circuit or equipment from a source of power. If isolation is accomplished with a solid-state device, "Disconnect" shall mean to cease the transfer of power.

A mechanical device used for isolating a circuit or equipment from a source of power.

Energy sources that consist of distributed generation facilities or energy storage systems or any combination thereof.

Generation facilities supplementing on-site load or non-centralized electric power production facilities interconnected at the distribution side of an electric power system.

Circuit breakers that are disconnected by physically separating, or racking, the breaker assembly away from the switchgear bus.

Refers to the electric power system owned, controlled, and/or operated by the utility and used to provide transmission and/or distribution services to its customers.

A commercially-available mechanical, electrical or electro-chemical means to store and release electrical energy, and its associated electrical inversion device and control functions that may stand-alone or be paired with a distributed generator at a point of common coupling.

An applicant to operate on-site power generation equipment in parallel with the utility grid per the requirements of this document.

The amount of distributed energy that can be interconnected without requiring electric infrastructure upgrades or adversely affecting power quality or reliability under current configurations.

A facility that operates, or is planned to operate, as a distributed generator paired with an energy storage system at a point of common coupling.

A condition in which a portion of the utility system that contains both load and distributed generation is isolated from the remainder of the utility system (Adopted from IEEE Std 929.).

A Modification to a facility that may have adverse impacts on subsequently queued applications in the interconnection queue, or any Modification described below (regardless of impact to a queued project):

1. A change in the physical location of the DER such that the Property Owner Consent Form or Site Control Certification Form as required by the SIR is no longer valid.

2. A change in the PCC to a location on a different line segment or different distribution feeder for projects interconnecting to the utility’s radial system, or any change in PCC for projects interconnecting to the utility’s network system.

3. An increase in the nameplate kVA or kW rating of the originally proposed distributed generation facility or energy storage system of more than 2%.

4. An additional distributed generation or energy storage system (other than the 2% increase in nameplate in item 3 above) not disclosed in the original application, where a separate and distinct distributed generation facility or energy storage system already exists behind the same proposed PCC. This would include existing non-disclosed distributed generation or energy storage systems or a request for additional distributed generation or energy storage systems at the project site.

The maximum export capacity of an Energy Storage System to the distribution grid at the PCC communicated by the Applicant and studied as such by the utility per their review of the impacts on the utility system based on the operating characteristic of the Energy Storage System.

The maximum import capacity of an Energy Storage System from the distribution grid at the PCC communicated by the Applicant and studied as such by the utility per their review of the impacts on the utility system based on the operating characteristic of the Energy Storage System.

The minimum percentage of a Qualifying Upgrade cost that must be funded by Participating Projects to trigger the utility to begin the construction process for the Qualifying Upgrade.

A change to the ownership, equipment, equipment ratings, equipment configuration, or operating characteristics* of the facility, or to schedules* associated with the facility as described in the application.

*Modifications that alter operating characteristics or schedules may be deemed material. Please consult with host utility for review and resolution.

A transformer bank installation or replacement identified by the utility in its Capital Investment Plan as a Multi-Value Distribution project.

A network (also known as an area network) is comprised of multiple, primary feeders supplying network transformers tied together in parallel on the secondary side to provide energy into a low voltage grid.

A Triggering Project or a Sharing Project that benefits from and shares costs of a Qualifying Upgrade. A Participating Project must be greater than 50 kW AC nameplate rating in size. Where Participating Projects are projects all proposed by the same developer, within a six-month period, such projects must be greater than 50 kW AC nameplate rating in aggregate.

The point at which the interconnection between the electric utility and the customer interface occurs. Typically, this is the customer side of the utility revenue meter.

A review of the generator-owner’s proposed system capacity, location on the utility system, system characteristics, and general system regulation to determine if the interconnection is viable.

A utility-initiated upgrade where the utility installs 3V0 prior to any applicant payment and collects pro rata payments from interconnecting projects that utilize the upgrade.

A device that continuously monitors a designated parameter related to the operation of the generation system that operates if preset limits are exceeded.

A utility-initiated upgrade where the utility installs 3V0 prior to any applicant payment and collects pro rata payments from interconnecting projects that utilize the upgrade.

System modifications which result in an increase to the Hosting Capacity of the utility’s distribution system beyond that required to interconnect a Triggering Project that can be shared by multiple Distributed Generation/Energy Storage System projects and whose costs are greater than $250,000.

An exhibit to the CESIR presenting the use case and specifics of a Qualifying Upgrade, including the technology option(s) considered to address the electric system impacts and total estimated Qualifying Upgrade cost and increase in Hosting Capacity as well as the resulting capacity increase in shared cost expressed in kW.

The range of magnitudes of the utility system voltage or frequency where the generator-owner’s equipment, if operating, is required to remain in operation for the purposes of compliance with UL 1741. Excursions outside these ranges must result in the automatic disconnection of the generation within the prescribed time limits.

Includes dedicated transformers or equipment and facilities to protect the safety and adequacy of electric service provided to other customers.

A project that benefits from and contributes to the cost of a Qualifying Upgrade holding an interconnection queue position after the Triggering Project.

A spot network is a network within a smaller area network where one or more multiple transformers are dedicated to serve a single customer or large energy-consuming facility such as a high-rise building.

An energy storage system that is solely connected to a point of common coupling and not paired with a distributed generator.

The application in the queue at a given substation or feeder whose proposed interconnection triggers the need for a Qualifying Upgrade.

A test performed upon initial installation and repeated periodically to determine that there is continued acceptable performance.

A residential applicant who is proposing to install a wind electric generating system, not to exceed a combined rated capacity of 25 kW, located and used at the applicant’s primary residence, per the requirements of New York State Public Service Law §66-1.

A non-residential applicant who is proposing to install a wind electric generating system located and used at the applicant's premises, not to exceed 2 MW, pursuant to New York State Public Service Law §66-1.

A farm applicant who is proposing to install a wind electric generating system, not to exceed a combined rated capacity of 500 kW, located and used at the applicant’s primary residence, per the requirements of New York State Public Service Law §66-l.