Renewable energy policy database and support

For the connection to the transmission grid, the deadlines are set in articles 53,57,58 and 59 of RD 1955/2000:

• Once the transmission grid operator receives from an applicant an access and connection request, it shall respond on the sufficient access capacity and connection within 2 months.
• Successively, the applicant has to request connection from the owner of the access point, who shall produce a technical report and pass it to the transmission grid operator within 1 month. The transmission grid operator shall assess and finally accept the report within another month.
• The transmission grid operator and the applicant shall then negotiate and agree on the connection contract within 1 month. Thereafter, the connection works may start. The connection contract shall not be signed unless all administrative authorisations for the connection works have been obtained.

For the connection to the distribution grid, the deadlines are set in articles 62,63 and 66 of RD 1955/2000:

• Once a distribution grid operator receives from an applicant a request for access to its infrastructure, it shall respond whether there is sufficient access capacity at the requested connection point within 15 days. 
• A positive access capacity response from a distribution grid operator will have a validity of 6 months. During this period, the applicant may request connection to the distribution grid.
• The distribution grid operator shall inform the transmission grid operator on the access requests that may have an influence on the transmission infrastructure as established in article 63 of RD 1955/2000.
• Where a distribution grid operator receives a connection request that might have an influence on the transmission grid infrastructure, the distribution grid operator shall inform the transmission grid operator within one month, who shall respond on the feasibility of the connection within two months. The distribution grid operator shall then inform the applicant.
• In case of a positive response, the applicant may present the execution plan of the RE plant to the distribution grid operator to proceed with the connection in the distribution grid. 

In addition, for plants connected at voltage connection points higher than 36 kV, the following process with the respective deadlines is stipulated (Third additional disposition of Chapter II, RD 15/2018):

• Plant operators that hold a connection and access permits must submit to the transmission/ distribution grid operator a payment of 10% of the value of the grid works, within a period not exceeding 12 months from obtaining the permits.
• Once the amount indicated in the previous section has been paid and the installation production permit has been obtained, the plant operator will  sign a project commission contract for the installations of the network to which the plant operator will connect the plant, 4 months before the installation production permit or the deposit of the 10% amount . In this contract, additional payments must be collected for the development and execution of the installation by the transmission/ distribution grid operator.
• In case of withdrawal by the plant operator, the costs paid can be recovered except for the non-recoverable costs incurred until then by the grid operator, in relation to the processing and construction of the installation of the network.

Furthermore, plants that have already grid connection and access permits and do not wish to proceed with the connection procedure can withdraw their application within 3 months (Third transitional disposition of Chapter II, RD 15/2018)

To be connected to the transmission and distribution grid RES plants operators should present a bank guarantee of € 40 per kW of installed capacity to the body responsible for the authorization (Third additional disposition of Chapter II, RD 15/2018).