MADISON – The Public Service Commission (PSC) announced today that revisions made to the rules governing the interconnection of customer-owned distributed generation facilities are now in effect in Wisconsin. These changes modernize outdated administrative code and provide clarity and transparency to customers interested in owning distributed generation facilities and connecting to the electric grid.
“For the first time in twenty years, critical updates to the interconnection process are being implemented in Wisconsin to help ensure electric grid reliability and improve the customer experience,” said PSC Chairperson Summer Strand. “I appreciate the efforts of our stakeholders and the feedback received through the public participation process, all of which informed the rule revisions and resulted in an improved final product.”
Originally published in 2004, Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter PSC 119 created uniform statewide standards to promote the development of distributed generation facilities; address engineering, reliability, and safety concerns; and establish methods for determining interconnection charges.
In Wisconsin, electric utility customers can produce energy by installing distributed generation facilities, such as rooftop solar, on their property. In addition to providing on-site electricity to customers at their home or workplace, a distributed generation facility can also generate more electricity than the customer uses. When this occurs, customers with distributed generation facilities interconnected to the distribution grid can sell the excess electricity to their utility. Before a customer can connect distributed generation to the grid, they must submit an application to their utility and comply with the interconnection rules in PSC 119.
Distributed generation has evolved significantly over the last 20 years. The updated rules will take into account the growth of distributed generation installations throughout the state, new technologies, and updated technical and certification standards. Utility customers can now expect enhanced grid stability and increased transparency in the interconnection application process because of these rule modifications.
The collaborative process to update the outdated interconnection rules began in 2021 and the improvements made were borne out of a diverse stakeholder committee and public comments received after a hearing on draft rule modifications. The final rule was approved by the Public Service Commission, Governor Evers, the Senate Committee on Utilities and Technology, the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities, and the Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules.
The revised rule took effect on May 1. Updated interconnection application forms are now available on the PSC website and from individual utilities.
More information about the interconnection process is available here.
An online version of this release is available here.
