Connection to the grid
Updated: 04.01.2019
Author: Georgios Maroulis
Plant operators are contractually entitled against the grid operator to the connection of renewable energy plants to the grid. Entitlement arises when the plant is completed and a connection agreement has been concluded. The grid operator is obliged to enter into such an agreement on request (art. 84 (1), (2) LREM in conjunction with sections T 1.1.2, 1.3.1; D 1.1.4 TDR 4.0).
The persons entitled are those operators of renewable energy plants that are party to a connection agreement (sections T 1.1.2, 1.3.1; D 1.1.4 TDR 3.0) and meet the following requirements:
- Permission to operate. Plant operators shall hold an operation licence (art. 34 LREM). This licence is issued by CERA on application.
- Small-scale installations. In exceptional cases, non-licensed operators of small installations may be entitled to connection (art. 35 LREM). These persons are the operators of electricity plants whose production capacity does not exceed 5 MW (ch. 35 (2) (b) LREM).
Additionally, there is a concrete connection procedure stipulated in SSRES 2017. This describes the connection procedure for RES plants that are willing to participate in the transitional phase, before the competitive electricity market is established.
Procedure
| Process flow | Application for connection: Depending on the capacity of his plant, a plant operator must submit his application to either the distribution grid operator (EAC) or the transmission grid operator (TSO) (art. 84 (1), (2) LREM in conjunction with section T 2.4.3 TDR 4.0). The application shall include all technical information required (section T 2. A2.1 TDR 4.0) as well as the technical study that proves that all related technical requirements have been applied (T 16.8.3 TDR 4.0). Assessment of application and connection offer: After the competent grid operator has received and examined the application, he shall send a connection offer to the plant operator within 90 working days (sections T 2.4.5.1, T 2.4.6, D 1.4.1 TDR 4.0). Connection agreement: The plant operator must accept the terms for connection within the period specified in the connection offer (sections T 2.4.5.2 TDR 4.0).
Under the Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017, the connection procedure is as follows:
For households and non-domestic consumers - Application: Interested parties shall submit their applications with the necessary supporting documents to EAC, as the responsible grid operator (ch.3.par.9 “Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017”).
- Project realisation: The installation of the PV is connected with the grid. EAC- DSO is responsible for controlling the PV (ch.3.par.9 “Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017”).
For industrial/ commercial units (autonomous electricity production) - Application: Interested parties submit their application along with the necessary supporting documents to the Cyprus Regulatory Authority on Energy (CERA) (ch. 4. par. 5 “Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017”).
- Final control and connection to the grid: The grid operator is responsible for controlling the connection of the PV plant to the distribution. Then the plant operator should submit to CERA an application for the exemption from the issue of a production license and after that a contract will be signed between the plant operator and EAC (ch. 4 par.6 “Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017”).
A similar process is followed in the SSRES 2018.
For households and non-domestic consumers - Application: Interested parties shall submit their applications with the necessary supporting documents to the grid operator (ch.4 par.7 SSRES 2018).
- Project realisation: The installation of the PV should be completed in 3 months and should be connected with the grid. (ch.4 par.8 SSRES 2018).
For industrial/ commercial units and public administration buildings (net-billing) - Application: Interested parties submit their application along with the necessary supporting documents to the Cyprus DSO (ch.5 par.7 SSRES 2018).
- Project realisation: Plant installation should be completed and connected to the grid(ch.5 par.8 SSRES 2018).
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| Competent authority | Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MCIT), CIE, Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC), Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA), Cyprus Transmission System Operator (DSM- TSO) |
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| Deadlines | The date of connection of a plant to the grid depends on the terms of the agreement (section T 2.4.5.1 TDR 4.0). The following terms and deadlines are specified by law: - The grid operator shall assess the plant operator's application for connection within 90 days.
- The plant operator shall provide the technical data required to connect his plant within 60 days after the conclusion of the connection agreement (sections T 2.4.5.1 and T 2.4.6. TDR 4.0).
Further deadlines are stipulated in the Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017.
For households and non-domestic consumers - The grid operator (EAC) assesses applications in 7 days (ch.3.par.9 “Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017”).
- The installation of the PV should be completed in 3 months and should be connected with the grid. The grid operator is responsible for controlling the PV plant within 25 days (ch.3.par.9 “Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017”).
For industrial/ commercial units (autonomous electricity production) - The grid operator is responsible for controlling the connection of the PV plant to the distribution grid within thirty (30) days (ch. 4 par.6 “Support Scheme for PV and Biomass/ Biogas 2017”).
Similar deadlines are defined in the SSRES 2018.
For households and non-domestic consumers - The grid operator assesses applications in 7 days (ch.4 par.7 SSRES 2018).
- The installation of the PV should be completed in 3 months and should be connected with the grid. For new residences that will be connected to the grid the timeframe is set at 6 months and 12 months if grid expansion works are needed. For non-domestic consumers that are expected to receive support by the Rural Development Plan (MARDP) 2014-2020, they should realise their PV installation within 3 months after the support is granted. EAC- DSO is responsible for controlling the PV plant within 25 days (ch.4 par.8 SSRES 2018).
For industrial/ commercial units and public administration buildings (net-billing) - The plant installation should be completed in 12 months after CERA’s approval. (ch.5 par.8 SSRES 2018).
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Priority to renewable energy
- Priority to renewable energy
- Non-discrimination
Renewable energy plants shall be connected according to the principle of non-discrimination (art. 85 LREM).
Capacity limits (quantitative criteria)
In general, plant operators may export unlimited amounts of electricity to the grid. However, a given plant operator shall specify the maximum possible capacity in his application for connection (sections T 2. A2.1, T 2.A3.2 TDR 4.0). This capacity is then laid down in the connection agreement (sections T 2.4.2.2 TDR 4.0).
Distribution of costs
| Plant operator | Since 01.01.2013 the plant operator bears all the connection costs (ch. D DSM Decision 851/2012). |
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Cyprus