NARUC Formally Recommends States Adopt IEEE Best Practice Interconnection Standards
Last week, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) passed its first resolutions of 2020. Front and center is a recommendation that states adopt and implement the latest IEEE standard for interconnection, key to the expansion of distributed energy resources across the U.S., and most important, to their functionality on the grid.
NARUC’s Committee on Electricity and Committee on Energy and the Environment both adopted the resolution: Recommending State Commissions Act to Adopt and Implement Distributed Energy Resource Standard IEEE 1547-2018.
“NARUC’s resolution is timely and relevant as more states are experiencing the growth in distributed energy resources,” says IREC VP-Regulatory Sara Baldwin. “States can stay ahead of the curve by adopting best practice interconnection standards that also address the most updated IEEE 1547-2018 standard, which supports expanded functionality for distributed energy resources on the grid.”
“Our deep involvement in the drafting process of IEEE 1547 and its related series of standards has uniquely positioned IREC to educate and help states implement adoption of the standard,” adds IREC Chief Regulatory Engineer Brian Lydic.
IREC’s Making the Grid Smarter: Primer on Adopting the New IEEE Standard 1547TM-2018 for Distributed Energy Resources was published in 2019 to help states, utilities and stakeholders delve into the myriad issues they will need to grapple with when adopting the standard. It is one of several excellent resources listed at the IEEE 1547-2018 website.
Also in 2019, IREC helped the Minnesota PUC’s Distributed Generation Working Group craft their Technical Interconnection and Interoperability Requirements, which are the first detailed statewide requirements based on 1547-2018. Currently, IREC facilitates a working group to harmonize Hawaiian Electric’s smart inverter requirements with 1547-2018.
IREC congratulates NARUC on its transformative recommendation and proudly acknowledges IREC’s mention in the language of the resolution, alongside EPRI, NREL, IEEE, RAP, NERC and NRECA.
Full resolution language here.
