OAR 860-084-0010: Definitions for Solar Photovoltaic Pilot Programs

(1) “Contracted system” means an eligible system under contract in the solar photovoltaic pilot program associated with a single meter. (2) “Electric company” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.600. (3) “Eligible consumer” means a retail electricity consumer receiving service at the property where the solar photovoltaic system will be installed. (4) “Eligible energy” or “eligible generation” means the kilowatt-hours that may be paid at the volumetric incentive rate. For the net metering option of the pilot program, eligible energy is equal to the usage of the retail electricity consumer in the year that the energy is generated by the eligible system. In a given month, this eligible energy is equal to the actual usage of the retail electricity consumer for that month. For the bidding option of the pilot program, eligible energy equals actual generation, net of system requirements. (5) “Eligible participant” or “participant” means an eligible consumer who has signed a contract with the electric company and is participating in the pilot program. A regulated utility is not an eligible participant in pilot programs. (6) “Eligible system” means a qualifying system that meets the requirements of OAR 860-084-0120. (7) “Equipment package” means a group of components connecting an electric generator with an electric distribution system and includes all interface equipment including switchgear, inverters, or other interface devices. An equipment package may include an integrated generator or electric production source. (8) “Excess energy” or “excess generation” means the kilowatt-hours generated in excess of actual annual usage under the net metering option of the volumetric incentive rate pilot program. In a given month, excess energy means kilowatt-hours generated in excess of monthly usage. (9) "IEEE standards" means the standards published in the 2003 edition of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1547, titled “Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems,” approved by the IEEE SA Standards Board on June 12, 2003, and in the 2005 edition of the IEEE Standard 1547.1, titled “IEEE Standard Conformance Test Procedures for Equipment Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems,” approved by the IEEE SA Standards Board on June 9, 2005. (10) “Installed System” means an eligible system that is completely built, has passed final electrical inspection by the local authority with jurisdiction, and is pending completion of utility work to connect it to the utility grid. (11) “Nameplate capacity” means the maximum rated output of a solar photovoltaic system, measured at an irradiance level of 1000 W/ m2, with reference air mass 1.5 solar spectral irradiance distribution and cell or module junction temperature of 25°C. (12) “On-line” means that the solar photovoltaic system is installed and providing power to the electric company’s electrical system or to serve the load of the retail electricity consumer. (13) “Payable generation” is the eligible generation for each month plus accrued excess generation, up to the actual monthly usage. Excess generation accrues monthly. (14) “Pilot capacity limit” means the maximum installed capacity that each electric company may contract during the pilot program. (15) “Pilot year” means each twelve-month period of the solar photovoltaic pilot program beginning on April 1 and ending on March 31. (16) “Qualifying assignee” or “assignee” means a person to whom a retail electricity consumer may assign volumetric incentive rate payments under the standard contract. An electric company or its affiliate or any other regulated utility is not a qualifying assignee. Qualifying assignees include, but are not limited to: (a) A lender providing up-front financing to a retail electricity consumer; (b) A company or individual who enters into a financial agreement with a retail electricity consumer to own and operate a solar photovoltaic system on behalf of the retail electricity consumer in return for compensation; (c) A company or individual who contracts with the retail electricity consumer to locate a solar photovoltaic system on property owned by the retail electricity consumer; or (d) Any party identified by the retail electricity consumer to receive payments that the electric company is obligated to pay to the retail electricity consumer. (17) “Qualifying third party” or “third party” means a party who is the owner or operator of a solar photovoltaic system installed under the pilot program but who is not the retail electricity consumer at that location. An electric company is not a qualifying third party under the pilot programs. (18) “Reservation start date” means the date the retail electricity consumer is notified of securing capacity through a capacity reservation process and of the start and expiration dates for that capacity reservation. The reservation start date initiates the time to interconnection agreement. (19) “Retail electricity consumer” means a consumer who is a direct customer of the electric company and is the end user of electricity for specific purposes, such as heating, lighting, or operating equipment. Retail electricity consumers include direct access consumers. (20) “System requirements” means the input electricity required to operate the solar photovoltaic system, sometimes referred to as the parasitic load. (21) “Time to interconnection agreement” means the time between the reservation start date and the date an eligible participant signs an interconnection agreement. (22) “Volumetric incentive payments” or “payments” mean the monthly amount that an electric company pays to an eligible participant or assignee in the solar photovoltaic pilot program for payable energy generated by a contracted system. (23) “Volumetric incentive rate” means the rate per kilowatt-hour paid by an electric company to a retail electricity consumer or assignee for payable generation.