Connection to the grid
Updated: 07.02.2019
Author: Jasmin Schwarz
Operators of renewable energy plants are entitled to be connected to the national electricity grid upon request (art. 3.1 and art. 9.1 DL 79/99). To this aim, the grid operator and a given plant operator conclude a contract (contratto per la connessione). The grid operator is obliged to conclude this contract (arts. 10.14 and 23.10 Annex 1 ARG/elt 99/08).
All persons applying for connection are entitled to connection to the grid (art. 3.1 and art. 9.1 DL 79/99). This definition includes producers of electricity from renewable sources.
The persons obligated are the transmission and distribution grid operators (art. 3.1 and 9.1 DL 79/99).
Procedure
| Process flow | Operators of renewable energy plants are entitled to be connected to the national electricity grid upon request (art. 3.1 and art. 9.1 DL 79/99). To this aim, the grid operator and a given plant operator conclude a contract (contratto per la connessione). The grid operator is obliged to enter into this contract (arts. 10.14 and 23.10 Annex 1 ARG/elt 99/08). The claim for connection to the grid arises at the date of the conclusion of the contract. When a given electricity producer comes into a conflict with the grid operator, he may request dispute resolution from the Market Directorate (Direzione Mercati) of the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Grids and Environment (ARERA) (art. 3 Annex A ARG/elt 123/08). The dispute settlement procedure is extensively described in Annex A ARG/elt 123/08.
The procedure for connection consists of the following steps: - Application
- Estimation of costs
- Acceptance of cost estimate
- Request for authorisation
- Authorisation procedure
- Commencement of works
- Connection
|
|---|
| Deadlines | Response to applications with provision of estimate
The grid operator must respond to applications for connection and submit an estimate of costs (preventivo per la connessione) within the following timescales: - 20 working days for capacities of up to 100 kW (art. 7.1 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08),
- 45 working days for capacities from 100 kW to 1,000 kW(art. 7.1 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08),
- 60 working days for capacities of more than 1,000 kW (art. 7.1 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08).
- 90 working days for capacities of more than 10,000 kW (art. 19.3 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08 and Terna Network Code, art. 1A .5.2.1)
Acceptance of the cost estimate
The applicant must communicate the acceptance of the cost estimate within: - 45 days for capacities under 10,000 kW (art. 7.2 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08),
- 120 days for capacities of more than 10,000 kW (art. 19.4 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08 and Terna Network Code, art. 1A .5.3.1)
Requests of authorisations - Applicant
- Request of authorisation for construction and operation of the plant and/or request of initiation of the authorisation procedures
- Low voltage: within 60 working days (arts. 9.3, 9.5 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08);
- Medium voltage: within 90 working days (arts. 9.3, 9.5 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08);
- High voltage: within 120 working days (arts. 21.3, 21.5 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08);
- Extra high voltage: within 180 working days (arts. 21.3, 21.5 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08).
- Operator
- Request of authorisation for construction of the connection plant and grid expansion, where necessary
- Low voltage: within 30 working days (art. 9.6 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08);
- Medium voltage: within 60 working days (art. 9.6 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08);
- High voltage: within 90 working days (art. 21.6 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08);
- Extra high voltage: within 120 working days (art. 21.6 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08).
Authorisation procedure
The authorisation procedure is ruled under a comprehensive procedure (“procedimento unico”) in which all involved administrations participate. This procedure starts within 30 days from the date in which the request of authorisation is received (Art. 12, c. 3 DL 387/03) and can last up to a maximum of 90 days, excluding additional time needed for carrying out specific verifications, where necessary (Art. 12, c. 4 DL 387/03),
Initiation of works
The applicant is obliged to start the construction of the production plant within - 12 months for connections in low and medium voltage;
- 18 months for connections in high or extra high voltage (art. 31.1 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08).
Connection - The distribution grid operator must connect a plant within the following timescales:
- 30 working days for basic works (art. 10.1.a Annex A ARG/elt 99/08),
- 90 working days for complex procedures, plus 15 working days for every kilometre of connection line except the first kilometre (art. 10.1.a Annex A ARG/elt 99/08).
- The transmission grid operator must connect a plant within the timescales specified in his terms and conditions (art. 23.1 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08 and Terna Network Code, art. 1A .5.8.4).
|
|---|
Priority to renewable energy
- Priority to renewable energy
- Non-discrimination
Applications for the connection of renewable energy plants to the transmission or distribution grid must be given priority treatment and renewable energy plants must be given priority connection (art. 29.1 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08).
Capacity limits (quantitative criteria)
Works on the grid aimed at allowing connection of a plant are automatically considered in the connection process (arts. 8.2.c and 20.2.c Annex A ARG/elt 99/08).
Distribution of costs
| Plant operator | The costs of connection are borne by the applicant for connection. Renewable energy plants are subject to lower connection fees than plants fuelled by conventional sources.
- The fee to be paid for connection to the distribution grid is calculated by the formulas set out in art. 12 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08.
- The following fees must be paid for connection to the transmission grid:
- a fee for the development of the technical solution (art. 25.1 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08)
- a fee for connection to the grid (art. 25.2 Annex A ARG/elt 99/08).
|
|---|
Italy