HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES2019-003 CITY OF SEWARD,ALASKA
PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD
II
RESOLUTION 2019-003 Sponsored by: PACAB
A RESOLUTION OF THE SEWARD PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY
BOARD, PROVIDING A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO
UPDATE PORTIONS OF SECTION 14.15.4 INTERCONNECTION WITH
CUSTOMER-OWNED ALTERNATIVE POWER SOURCE GENERATION
EQUIPMENT
WHEREAS,PACAB's responsibilities are listed in SCC 2.30.325 Powers and duties,and
include providing input to the City Council on policy and procedural matters involving the
establishment and continuance of commercial activity, improving the quality of life and
protecting the public's best interest and performing other duties as requested by the City Council;
and
WHEREAS, in December, 2017, Council directed PACAB to explore options for
alternative energy in Seward; and
WHEREAS,PACAB believes that interconnection of customer-owned alternative power
source generation equipment with the City's electrical distribution system is a key component of
responsible energy policy; and
WHEREAS,the rules for interconnection are established by SCC 14.15.4 Interconnection
with Customer-Owned Alternative Power Source Generation Equipment; and
WHEREAS,the Code was last updated in 2014 by Ordinance 2014-003 an ordinance of
the City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska, amending Title 14 of the City's Code of
Ordinances to provide for interconnection of small renewable energy sources to the City's
electrical distribution system; and
WHEREAS,since this section of code was enacted in 2014,no homeowners in Seward
have been able to successfully connect to the City's electrical distribution system; and
WHEREAS,amending the code to remove certain hardware requirements would lessen
the financial and administrative burden of interconnection while retaining compliance with all
applicable codes and providing for the safety of the City's Electric Department employees and
equipment; and
WHEREAS,these changes would bring Seward City Code in line with other local and
national utility interconnection policies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PORT AND COMMERCE
PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD
RESOLUTION 2019-003
ADVISORY BOARD OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA that:
Section 1. The Port and Commerce Advisory Board recommends the Seward City
Council amend Seward City Code Section 14.15.415 as follows:
(Deletions are Bold Striketlwoughs; Additions are Bold Italics)
14.15.415 - Interconnection requirements, procedures, and application process for an
alternative power source less than 25kw.
(a) Application. In order to proceed with interconnection of an alternative power source,the
customer must complete an application for a new/rework of electrical service and an
interconnection application.The customer shall also provide equipment specifications,protection
arrangements, and design drawings to the city for review.
(b) Compliance with codes and standards. Interconnections shall not be fueled by nor
connected to any non-qualified alternative energy sources. Interconnection customers shall
comply with all applicable local, state, and federal codes such as building codes, National
Electric Code (NEC), and National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) for the installation of an
interconnection. Once operating, the city reserves the right to require the customer, at the
customer's expense,to provide corrections,modifications,or additions to the interconnection as
required or recommended by government or industry regulations and standards. The city will
provide written documentation of the necessary changes and a time frame to complete. If the
customer fails to comply with the changes in the specified time frame,the city will open and lock
the interconnection.
(d)(c) Power quality and reliability.The interconnection with the electric system shall not cause
any reduction in the quality and reliability of service provided to other city customers.There shall be
no generation of abnormal voltages or voltage fluctuations, and the harmonic content of the
interconnection output must be below that level which would cause interference with other customer
loads, other utilities,or city facilities and equipment.
To minimize interference, the city requires the interconnection to meet the power quality
standards presented in accordance with section 10, Recommended Practices for Individual
Consumers of the latest Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE)Standard 519,IEEE
Recommended Practices and Requirements for Harmonic Control in Electrical Power Systems. In
addition to meeting all requirements identified in this document,the interconnection shall comply
with all city ordinances and resolutions, and latest IEEE 1547, IEEE Standard Conformance Test
Procedures for Equipment Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems.
PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD
RESOLUTION 2019-003
(e)-(d) Testing. Prior to initial energization of the interconnection,an inspection and tests will be
performed by both the interconnecting customer and city personnel. The purpose of the inspection
and testing will be to determine if the generator and related equipment of the interconnection meets
the minimum requirements described by IEEE 1547, IEEE 519, and UL 1741, Underwriter
Laboratories Inc.,Standard for Inverters,Converters,and Interconnection System Equipment for Use
With Distributed Energy Resources. Based on the inspection, the city may elect to accept the
installation and energize the interconnection. In the event that discrepancies are noted between the
certified equipment and drawings previously provided to the city and the customer's system inspected
by the city, retesting may be required. The customer shall be solely responsible for all costs
associated with any retesting.
(4) (e) City inspection and customer maintenance records. The customer shall maintain the
interconnection in good working order. The interconnection (i.e., generator and associated
equipment)is subject to inspection and retesting by the city upon reasonable notice each year after
the unit is placed in service.The customer will assume full responsibility for the routine maintenance
of the interconnection and associated protective devices. The customer shall maintain accurate
records of all maintenance activities performed. These records shall record the date and time, the
person(s)who performed the activities, and a brief description of the work. These records shall be
made available to the city for inspection at all times upon reasonable notice to the customer.Failure
to comply may result in the disconnection of the equipment or additional testing as outlined in
subsection(e)above.The customer is solely responsible for all costs associated with any inspections
and testing required.
(g) (0 Visible, lockable disconnect switch or electric break. An accessible, visible, lockable
disconnect switch or electric break,whichever is applicable,is to be provided by the customer which
is lockable in the open position only.This switch must be appropriately labeled,when locked in the
open position for any of the following conditions,maybe unlocked only by city personnel.The city
will lock the switch in the open position under the following circumstances:
(1) If it is necessary for the protection of line crew personnel when working on de-energized
circuits during a system emergency;
(2) If inspection of the interconnection reveals a hazardous condition or a lack of proper
maintenance;
(3) If the interconnection interferes with other customers,other utilities,or with the operation
of the city's distribution system;
(4) If the city determines that the interconnection has generated power from a non-qualified
alternative energy resource; or
(5) For general maintenance of the city's distribution system.
The city will provide at least five days'notice,unless the circumstances warrant shorter notice,
before locking the switch open for general maintenance as provided in condition(v) above.
PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD
RESOLUTION 2019-003 3
(h)(g) Metering/billing.The customer shall install and maintain a kilowatt-hour meter,or meters,
at the interconnection, capable of registering the bi-directional flow of electricity at the point of
interconnection at a level of accuracy that meets all applicable standards,regulations,statutes, and
ordinances. The meter(s)may measure such parameters as time of delivery,power factor,voltage,
and such other parameters as the city shall specify. The customer shall provide space for metering
equipment as specified by the city with the location of the meter(s)to be approved by the city.The
customer is solely responsible for all costs associated with the purchase, installation, and
maintenance of all equipment required by the city in order to properly meter the interconnection.
(i)(h) Nominal voltages and phasing.The generator nameplate voltage must be the same as one of
the nominal voltages supplied by the city.The nominal voltages are 120/240 V single-phase, 120/208
V three-phase, and 277/480 V three-phase. If the generator nameplate voltage is different from the
city's nominal voltages, the customer must supply a dedicated generator transformer that will
provide the required nominal voltage. The required transformer connection, unless otherwise
specified, is grounded wye-grounded wye.
(j)(i) Fault current increase and upgrading equipment. In general,installation of a new generator
will increase the fault current level at the customer's electrical facility.This may require upgrading
some of the customer's equipment. The customer will assume full responsibility of upgrading
customer's own equipment.
(k) (j) Starting as induction motor. In general, induction generators start as motors; also,
synchronous generators may be designed to start as motors.The customer-owned generator starting
as a motor shall meet the motor starting requirements prescribed by the city.The city may require the
customer to provide, at customer's own expense, special or additional starting equipment.
(I)(k) Generating facility grounding.There are additional safety concerns that shall be addressed
when considering circuit grounding of the interconnection interconnected to the city's utility system.
To ensure proper grounding of the generating facility, the customer shall follow all applicable
national, state, and local codes regarding grounding for applicable generating installations.
(in)(1) Synchronization.The interconnection must be synchronized with the city's utility system at
all times and the customer shall be responsible for the cost and maintenance of all synchronization
equipment.
fin)(n) Automatic disconnection, and Time Delayed
Automatic Reconnection. The interconnection shall be designed to automatically disconnect and
lockout when the city's service is interrupted for any reason.The-deviee-shall-haveamanual-reset
Automatic Rreconnection of the interconnection to the city's utility system shall be done only on
hot-bus/hot-line/sync-check.
An automatic reclose of the interconnection breaker(or interrupting device)is permitted once utility
power has been restored a minimum of five minutes.
PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD
RESOLUTION 2019-003
(e)(n) Single phasing protection.The customer is advised that a phase-unbalance disturbance on
the city's utility system can result in overheating of the interconnection.A negative-sequence-type
relay(current or voltage) could be necessary to initiate tripping under phase-unbalance conditions
and may also be used to block closing of the automatic disconnecting device if the city's utility
system is single-phased.
(p)(o) Generating facility protection. The customer is fully responsible for the protection of the
generator and all of its associated equipment.Protection should be provided for the customer's own
equipment failures, faults, and other disturbances on the city's utility system.
(q) (p) Fault detection and automatic isolation. To prevent an interconnection from supplying
current to a fault on the city's utility system, the interconnection shall be equipped to provide
isolation from the city's utility system for any fault occurring on the city's utility system. The
automatic isolation shall be done prior to the city's breaker (or recloser) reclosing and within a
reasonable period of time, typically less than two seconds (120 cycles). The customer is solely
responsible for all costs associated with the purchase,installation,and maintenance of all equipment
required by the city in order to properly isolate the interconnection from the city's utility system for
any fault occurring on the city system.
(q) Under/over voltage relay. To prevent any hazardous operating conditions, the
interconnection shall be isolated from the city's utility system for any under-voltage(lower than 90
percent of nominal voltage) and over-voltage conditions (higher than 110 percent of nominal
voltage)within two seconds(120 cycles).The customer is solely responsible for all costs associated
with the purchase, installation, and maintenance of all equipment required by the city in order to
properly isolate the interconnection from the city's utility system for any voltage level described
above.
(s) (r) Under/over frequency relay. To prevent any hazardous operating conditions, the
interconnection shall be capable of disconnecting the customer's generation source from the city's
utility system for any over-frequency and under-frequency conditions exceeding 60.5 Hz or below
59.5 Hz within 50 milliseconds(6 cycles).The customer is solely responsible for all costs associated
with the purchase, installation, and maintenance of all equipment required by the city in order to
properly isolate the interconnection from the city's utility system for any frequency deviation
described above.
(4)(s) Dedicated distribution transformer.To ensure reliable service to other city customers and to
minimize all possible problems for other city customers, the electric department may, when it
deems it necessary under the circumstances,require the interconnection shall to be interconnected
to the city utility system through a dedicated-to-single-customer distribution individual transformer.
•
.Any cost associated to achieve dedicated-
to-single-customer service shall be the customer's sole expense.
(u)(t) Single-phase generating facility on three-phase distribution transformer.A customer-owned
single-phase generating facility 10KW or greater shall not be allowed to be connected to a city three-
PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD
RESOLUTION 2019-003
phase distribution transformer. This requirement mar he waived by the electric department through
written authorization when it deems it appropriate under the circumstances.
(v) (u) Surge protection. The customer is responsible for the protection of customer's
interconnection from transient surges initiated by lighting,switching,or other system disturbances.
(w) (v) Future modification or expansion. Any future modification or expansion of the
interconnection will require a separate review and approval by the city.
(*) (w) Reservation of rights. The city reserves the right to require additional interconnection
requirements for interconnection of alternative power source generating facilities in order to preserve
the safety and integrity of the city's utility system.
(y) (x) Interruption of alternative power source energy deliveries.
.The electric department shall have the right
at any time,without liability to the customer or any other person,to interrupt the alternative power
source:
(1) When reasonably necessary, in order for the electric department to construct, install,
maintain,repair,replace,remove,investigate,or inspect any equipment or any part of the
electrical distribution system; or
(2) If the electric department reasonably determines that interruption or reduction of
deliveries or power is necessary because of a system emergency, a forced outage, force
majeure, or other operational considerations.
(Ord. No. 2014-003, § 2, 6-9-2014)
Section 2. This resolution shall take effect immediately and be provided to Seward City
Council before the end of October, 2019.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the Port and Commerce Advisory Board of the City of
Seward, Alaska,this 15th day of May, 2019.
THE CITY I SEWARD,ALASKA
-)"""r
Chr raj.' , Chair
PORT AND COMMERCE ADVISORY BOARD
RESOLUTION 2019-003
AYES: Paquette, Schneider, Lawrence, Jaffa, Terry
NOES: None
ABSENT: Hughes, Lemas
ABSTAIN: None
ATTEST:
rends J. Ballou, MC
City Clerk
(City Setel,°
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MEMORANDUM
Date: September 19, 2019
To: Port& Commerce Advisory Board
From: Brenda Ballou, City Clerk
RE: Clarification on the Renumbering of PACAB Resolutions 2019-003 and 2019-004
HISTORY
At the August 14, 2019 PACAB meeting, the City Clerk included in the packet Resolution 2019-
003: Recommending City Council Continue With The Seward Chamber Of Commerce,
Conference And Visitors Bureau As The Designated Lead Marketing Entity For The City Of
Seward.. The resolution was approved.
Following that meeting, the City Clerk discovered that on May 15, 2019, PACAB had already
approved a resolution numbered 2019-003 for the Interconnect Policy: Providing A
Recommendation To Council To Update Portions Of Section 14.15.4 Interconnection With
Customer-Owned Alternative Power Source Generation Equipment. The Interconnect Policy
resolution had never been printed, signed, and entered into Legislative History, so it was not
on record.
REMEDY & CLARIFICATION
The City Clerk printed the original PACAB resolution numbered 2019-003 for the Interconnect
Policy, and it has been signed, sealed, and is on record in Legislative History.
The City Clerk renumbered the PACAB resolution dated August 14, 2019 to 2019-004. This
resolution has been signed, sealed, and is on record in Legislative History.