Interconnection Guidelines

In October 2009, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) approved net metering regulations. These rules were finalized and approved by the lieutenant governor in January 2010 and became effective January 15, 2010.  In May 2011, the RCA approved interconnection guidelines.  All utilities subject to Alaska’s net metering regulations were required to issue revised tariffs that address interconnection.

The interconnection guidelines state that the utility can require a customer to have liability insurance, if the insurance is easily available at a reasonable cost to the customer.  No external disconnect switch is required; the customer is either given the choice of installing an external disconnect switch or allowing the utility to disconnect the customer’s load when necessary.  A utility can also determine that no external disconnect switch is necessary. In the event that the external disconnect switch is used, the customer would be required pay for the cost of installing the disconnect switch.  Each utility must have a simple interconnection application that is no longer than two pages. The interconnection rules for a utility must be based on national safety standards, including IEEE 1547 series. The rules must also include equipment requirements for inverters, converters, controllers, and interconnection system equipment.