Net Metered Distributed Energy

When you’re installing solar panels, CHP, biomass, or another type of distributed energy resource (DER), PPL Electric Utilities is here to help you connect to the power grid. We recommend applying at least 6 months before interconnection service is needed.

For installations under 25 kilowatts (kW; inverter nameplate), you’ll hear from PPL within 3-4 weeks of submitting a completed and signed application. For all other systems, additional engineering reviews and field visits may be required. In addition, for systems 500 kW or larger, PPL must submit a net-metering recommendation to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Please see our PUC Applications Requirement page for more information on what is required for that recommendation. For all DER projects, please see the full process outlined below.

Application

Application Submission – Applications with existing services should be submitted online on our “Contractor Services Online Portal – Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Work Requests.” When applying, you’ll need the following documents:

• One-line diagram, including communications and existing distribution facilities.
• Site plan, including geographic features.
• Equipment data sheet.
• For systems 500 kW or larger, see additional documentation requirements.

The level of review and the application fee will depend on the type and size of the proposed DER. Please visit the Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin website for Interconnection application fees. The following table below is a breakdown of the different levels and associated application fees:

Be sure to double-check your application for accuracy. Once submitted, technical details cannot be modified or altered by PPL Electric. Should you require a change in system sizing, equipment used, etc., you will need to cancel your existing application, submit a new application, and pay any associated fees.
If you have questions regarding your application and new services, please contact the following: 

Application Review

In most cases, smaller (<25 kW) residential DER applications will be eligible for fast-track approval immediately. For your application to be considered complete, it must include your one-line diagram, site plan, equipment datasheets, application fees, and confirmation of a signed interconnection agreement.

Applications will not be approved prior to payment of the application fee. Updates to your application status will be communicated via email. Applications that do not receive fast-track approval will be reviewed by engineering to determine if reinforcements on the PPL Electric system will be required before interconnection is permitted.

Changes to the interconnection application made after the work order is created may require a new submission of the interconnection application. Such changes include, but are not limited to: kW nameplate, inverter manufacturer or size change; virtual metering aggregation (VMA) addition/deletion; required in-service date; DER ownership (customer-owned vs. third-party); and repetitive errors in the application (i.e. application level, missing signatures, multiple responses, etc.).

 

Engineering Review

• Service Review – performed on all applications regardless of size. This determines whether your service wire and transformer will need to be upgraded to support your DER request. Any required upgrades and associated costs will be communicated by a PPL design technician.
• Impact Review – Based on several factors such as proposed system size, substation proximity, and hosting capacity, an interconnection impact review will be conducted by several engineering departments to determine and mitigate risks to the distribution system. When the review is completed, a report will be sent to the customer detailing any required upgrades and associated costs. For systems under 50 kW, a review will be conducted, but a report may not be needed if there is no impact on the system. In these cases, you will receive notification of approval to move forward.

Engineering Design/Customer Payment (25% Deposit)

Following review of the Interconnection Impact Review (IIR) document, if the customer intends to proceed, the completed Notification of Customer Intent (NoCI) must be returned and the associated invoice (25% of the Total Customer Cost Estimate on the IIR) must be paid in full within 45 calendar days of the invoice date. This payment is non-refundable and non-transferable. Once the completed NoCI and payment are both received, PPL Electric will begin engineering and procurement. If the NoCI and payment are not received in a timely manner, the customer may forfeit their queue position, and their work order may be canceled.

Scheduling/Construction (75% Balance)

After design is complete, you will receive an invoice for the remaining 75% balance. This payment must be paid in full within 45 calendar days of the invoice date. Non-payment may result in project cancellation. All payments are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Construction work necessary to complete the upgrades is typically scheduled 6-8 weeks after engineering design completion and all customer requirements are fulfilled including customer payment, signed right-of-way agreement, customer contract agreement and customer tree work. Trench/conduit for underground secondary/services installation must be completed 2 weeks before construction. Be sure to prepare your site for PPL Electric crews to complete the construction work. Remember to call 811 at least 3 business days before you dig.

The project must be scheduled for construction and installed within one year of the application approval.

Interconnection Approval

An inspection and witness testing, if applicable, needs to be completed before interconnection approval is granted. After your system is installed and before it is activated, log in to  pplelectric.com/renewable  and submit your Certificate of Completion online. Once approved, certificate of completion will be issued providing the customer with Permission to Operate (PTO).

Payment Mailing Address

Payments must be made by check and mailed to:
PPL Electric Utilities
PO Box 419054
St Louis, MO 63141-9054

Overnight payments must be made out to “PPL Electric Utilities” and sent to:
Firstech
Attn: Lockbox PFC
12300 Olive Blvd
Creve Coeur, MO 63141

Checklist for Distributed Energy Resources

Application

Design

Scheduling

Construction