Several solar industry parties recently filed a joint petition asking the Public Utilities Commission to open a rulemaking to address the conditions for adding energy storage to Rule 3667, which addresses small generator interconnection procedures.

As part of a sweeping settlement reached in Xcel Energy’s Phase 2 rate case and two other proceedings in November 2016, Xcel and other parties, including those initiating this petition, had been engaged in stakeholder discussions to develop technical guidance that allows customer-sited energy storage to be operated:  (1) in parallel with the grid, instead of just for emergency purposes; and (2) in conjunction with net-metered renewable systems without disqualifying them from net metering eligibility. Xcel filed a report on its recommended technical specifications on January 31.

The solar parties’ proposed revisions to Colorado’s interconnection rules include a definition for inadvertent export, a clear policy statement that solar and storage may be net metered, and revised interconnection practices, including how to review and count nameplate capacity for solar-plus-storage systems.