Client installed 800 kW of backup generation after a two hour outage cost them part of a flower room.
Entirely defensible decision.
Three months later a standby service charge shows up on the bill. About 4,100 a month.
Utility's position is that the tariff applies a standby charge to any customer with on-site
generation capable of serving load, because the utility must maintain capacity to serve them if the
generation is unavailable.
My reading of the tariff is that the standby provision applies to generation operated in parallel
with the grid or used to displace purchases. This installation is emergency-only, open transition,
mechanically interlocked so it cannot parallel. It cannot displace a single kWh of purchased energy
under normal operation.
I think this is a straightforward misapplication and the interlock documentation should resolve it.
But the utility has now said no once, in writing, in a form letter.
Anyone dealt with a standby charge on emergency-only generation? I want to know whether the
distinction between emergency and parallel is generally recognized in tariff language or whether I am
reading in a distinction that is not there.
Entirely defensible decision.
Three months later a standby service charge shows up on the bill. About 4,100 a month.
Utility's position is that the tariff applies a standby charge to any customer with on-site
generation capable of serving load, because the utility must maintain capacity to serve them if the
generation is unavailable.
My reading of the tariff is that the standby provision applies to generation operated in parallel
with the grid or used to displace purchases. This installation is emergency-only, open transition,
mechanically interlocked so it cannot parallel. It cannot displace a single kWh of purchased energy
under normal operation.
I think this is a straightforward misapplication and the interlock documentation should resolve it.
But the utility has now said no once, in writing, in a form letter.
Anyone dealt with a standby charge on emergency-only generation? I want to know whether the
distinction between emergency and parallel is generally recognized in tariff language or whether I am
reading in a distinction that is not there.