Section 466.80  Determining the Review Level

An EDC shall determine whether an interconnection request should be processed under the Level 1, 2, 3 or 4 procedures by using the following screens:

a)         An EDC shall use Level 1 procedures to evaluate all interconnection requests to connect a DER facility when:

1)         The applicant has filed a Level 1 application; and

2)         The DER facility has an export capacity of 25 kW or less and a nameplate capacity of 50 kW or less.  If the DER facility's export capacity is not limited, the nameplate capacity cannot exceed 25 kW; and

3)         The DER facility is inverter-based; and

4)         The customer interconnection equipment proposed for the DER facility is lab-certified.

b)         An EDC shall use Level 2 procedures for evaluating interconnection requests when:

1)         The applicant has filed a Level 2 application;

2)         For certified inverter-based systems, the permissible nameplate capacity is limited according to the voltage of the line at the proposed point of interconnection as follows:

3)         All DER facilities connecting to lines greater than 69 kV are ineligible for Level 2 review regardless of size.  All synchronous and induction machines must have a nameplate capacity no larger than 2 MW to be eligible;

4)         The interconnection equipment proposed for the DER facility is lab-certified; and

5)         The proposed interconnection is to a radial distribution circuit or a spot network limited to serving one customer.

c)         An EDC shall use Level 3 review procedures for evaluating interconnection requests to area networks and radial distribution circuits where power will not be exported based on the following criteria.

1)         For interconnection requests to the load side of an area network, the following criteria shall be satisfied to qualify for a Level 3 expedited review:

A)        The applicant has filed a Level 3 application; and

B)        The nameplate capacity of the DER facility is less than or equal to 50 kW; and

C)        The proposed DER facility uses a lab-certified inverter-based equipment package; and

D)        The DER facility uses acceptable means for non-export controls as set forth in Section 466.75; and

E)        The aggregate of all generation on the area network does not exceed the lower of 5% of an area network's maximum load or 50 kVA.

2)         For interconnection requests to a radial distribution circuit, the following criteria shall be satisfied to qualify for a Level 3 expedited review:

A)        The applicant has filed a Level 3 application; and

B)        The aggregate export capacity of all the generators on the circuit, including the proposed DER facility, is 10 MVA or less; and

C)        The DER facility will use acceptable means for controlling export as set forth in Section 466.75; and

D)        The DER facility is not served by a shared transformer.

d)         An EDC shall use the Level 4 study review procedures for evaluating interconnection requests when:

1)         The interconnection request does not qualify for Level 1, 2, or 3 expedited review;

2)         The interconnection request failed one or more screens of a Level 1, 2, or 3 expedited review, or a Level 2 supplemental review; or

3)         The applicant has filed a Level 4 application.

(Source:  Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 9666, effective May 26, 2022)