Solar Energy Installations/Grid-Tie
The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has embraced the Government of Guyana’s vision for a green state and the associated benefits to the company and to the country. It is evident that many of our customers have also embraced the “green” vision without full knowledge of the requirements that must be satisfied for intended installations that will allow excess energy to penetrate GPL’s network.
We have established Interim Technical Guidelines for these installations and wish to alert our customers desirous of establishing an interconnection agreement with GPL of the following technical requirements:
- Photovoltaic (PV) / Solar installations must be compliant with the National Electric Code 2014 (NEC), particularly (but not limited to) Article 690 and Article 705. Further, all interconnection equipment (inverters, charge controllers, etc.) must conform with the IEEE 1547 Standard and be listed under the UL 1741 Standard. GPL has compiled these requirements in our Interim Interconnection Requirements.
- Customers are asked to note that at this time customers are allowed to install systems under 100kWac (Inverter Rating) regardless of their consumption, subject to GPL’s requirements for interconnection. However, systems 100kWac and greater will be subject to approval based on the customer’s maximum demand. Customers can determine the size of the installation that would be allowed by using our calculator.
- All installations 100kWac and over will be subject to an interconnection assessment in accordance with GPL’s Grid Code and Interim Interconnection Requirements before approval is given. This is to ensure that the interconnection of these larger installations does not have detrimental technical impacts on the distribution networks in your area.
- All customers MUST submit an electrical one-line diagram of the installation, the specifications of the inverter(s) used in the installation, and a Certification of Inspection (COI) from the Government Electrical Inspectorate (GEI) that certifies the installation as safe. This COI has to be applied for by the licenced Electrician/Contractor completing the installation.
(View the status of your Electrical Certificate of inspection.)
- In addition, GPL will conduct an interconnection inspection in order to ensure that prospective customer can be safely integrated with the company’s distribution network. This is to avoid any possible technical, safety and/or security issues that can result from non-compliant connections to the distribution network
Customers interested in interconnecting these installations MUST formally submit a request for interconnection of electricity from solar installations with GPL’s network to the Divisional Director – Customer Services at the Company’s Main Street, Georgetown office. Requests should clearly identify the account that the grid-tied system would be installed on and the electrical one-line diagram and specifications of the inverter(s) should be included if available. It should be noted that only account holders or persons duly authorized by the account holder can make this request.
GPL wishes to remind all interested customers that it is illegal and unsafe to establish unauthorized interconnections with the company’s distribution network. If you connect to GPL’s grid without permission it can be dangerous for your neighbours and GPL crews, and furthermore it may destabilize the normal electricity supply in your area.
Net Billing
The customer (called Prosumer) with a grid-tied installation, who has signed a Standard Offer Contract (SOC) which is the document listing the conditions between the customer and GPL relating on Net billing. The main feature being the Company will compensate the Prosumer for excess energy exported to the National Grid. i.e. (i) the electric service provided by the Company (energy delivered to the Prosumer) and (ii) excess generation exported (energy received by the Company) by the Standard Offer Prosumer. If during the billing period, the received energy charge is greater than the delivered energy charge then the received energy credit is applied to the ‘Energy Credits Bank’ for application to future bills with net Energy
Charges to the Prosumer. If the delivered energy charge is greater than the received energy charge, then appropriate credits (if available) can be withdrawn from the ‘Energy Credits’ Bank to reduce or liquidate the net Energy Charge. Subject to the deduction of monies owed to the Company, any unused credit remaining at the end of a twelve (12) month period will be paid to the Prosumer at a rate of 90% of the tariff at the time.