Archive of Information on the Minnesota Distributed Generation Work Group on Tariffs

This is the online archive of materials submitted and debated as part of the effort to establish the interconnection standards and tariffs for distributed generation projects of 10 MW or less. DG Tariff Work Group Participant List (excel spreadsheet) – current as of 12/16/02

The work below was directed by the June 19, 2002, Order Establishing Two Working Groups and Setting Schedule – issued by the MN Public Utilities Commission as a result of a policy established by Minnesota Statutes §216B.1611

PUC ORDER ON DG STANDARDS – September 28, 2004

Order Establishing DG Standards – issued by the MN PUC, September 28, 2004

PUC Staff Briefing Papers – prepared for meeting on July 20, 2004 and July 27, 2004

PAST MEETING NOTES

Reply Comments on IEEE Standards Issues – July 29, 2003

Comments – IEEE – submitted by Cummins Power Generation, July 28, 2003

Comments on IEEE Standards Issues – July 15, 2003

Comments – IEEE – submitted by MN Department of Commerce, July 15, 2003
Comments – IEEE – submitted by the Distributed Generation Coalition, July 15, 2003
Comments – IEEE – submitted by Xcel Energy, July 15, 2003
Comments – IEEE – submitted by Cooperative Utilities and MN Power, July 15, 2003

Reply Comments on both Tariffs and Technical Standards Reports and on others comments – June 27, 2003

Reply Comments – Part 2 – submitted by MN Department of Commerce, July 11, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by MN Department of Commerce, June 27, 2003
Reply comments – submitted by the Distributed Generation Coalition, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by Cummins Power Generation, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by Joint Electric Utilities, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by Joint Cooperative Utilities, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by Xcel Energy, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by North Amercan Water Office, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by MN Wind Energy Association, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by Clean Water Action Alliance, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy, June 27, 2003
Reply Comments – submitted by Innovative Power Systems, June 27, 2003

Comments on the Phase 2-DG Report – June 6, 2003

Supplemental Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by Minnesota Power, June 12, 2003
Comments on the Phase 2-Distributed Generation Report– submitted to the MN PUC by the Distributed Generation Coalition (CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, Hennepin County, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Izaak Walton League of America, Midwest Office, Korridor Capital Investments, LLC, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Prairie Gen, and the Minnesota Project), June 6, 2003
Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by Xcel Energy and Otter Tail Power Company), June 6, 2003
Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by Dakota Electric Association, June 6, 2003
Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by Minnesota Power, June 5, 2003

Initial Comments on the Final Report

Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by the Distributed Generation Coalition (CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, Hennepin County, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Izaak Walton League of America, Midwest Office, Korridor Capital Investments, LLC, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Prairie Gen, and the Minnesota Project), March 21, 2003
Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by the Joint Utilities Group (Dakota Electric Association, Interstate Power and Light Company, Minnesota Power, Xcel Energy and Otter Tail Power Company), March 21, 2003
Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by Hennepin County, March 21, 2003
Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by Great River Energy, March 21, 2003
Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by Missouri River Energy Services, March 21, 2003
Comments on the Final DG Technical and Rates Report – submitted to the MN PUC by the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, March 20, 2003

DG Tariff Work Group Documents (by date)

Phase 2-Distributed Generation Final Report – by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, submitted to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on May 22, 2003
Final Report of the Distributed Generation Work Groups on Technical Standards and Tariffs – by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, submitted to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on February 3, 2003
Comments: On Credits and Green Credits – submitted by Joint Electric Utilities, January 20, 2003
Comments: On Credits and Green Credits for DG – submitted by CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, Hennepin County, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Izaak Walton League of America, Midwest Office, Korridor Capital Investments, LLC, The Minnesota Project, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Prairie Gen – January 17, 2003
Comments: Green Credits for DG Projects – submitted by Izaak Walton League of America and The Minnesota Project, January 8, 2003
Comments: How the IRP Process Works and on the DG Rate Group Meeting Notes 12/11/02 – submitted by Joint Electric Utilities, December 20, 2002
Comments: On Proposals for Agreement Regarding Standby Services – submitted by CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, Hennepin County, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Izaak Walton League of America, Midwest Office, Korridor Capital Investments, LLC, The Minnesota Project, and Prairie Gen – December 20, 2002
- Xcel Energy Standby Tariff
- Xcel Energy Supplemental Services Tariff
- Draft: Distributed Generation Menu of Services including Utility to Customer and Customer to Utility – updated by Minnesota Power, December 19, 2002As a starting point, the Joint Utility Group offers the following Standby (Backup) and Supplemental Service Riders from Xcel Energy. While these are reasonable for a starting point, there is the need to look at other modifications that may be appropriate based on review of other utility Standby Service approaches and to incorporate concepts that were not as well defined at the time these tariffs were originally developed. For example, the concept of Physical Assurance is not included in these tariffs and the interaction of Standby Services and Residual Retail Services should be clearly specified:
Comments: Brief Reply in Regards to the Department of Commerce Proposal for Adjustments to Capacity Payments – filed by Minnesota Power, Alliant Energy, Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power and Dakota Electric, December 10, 2002
Memo: Additional Information to Respond to Some Questions Raised on the Capacity Payment Issue – filed by Xcel Energy, December 9, 2002
Comments: On (1) Payment for Avoided Capacity Costs and (2) Proposal for Performance of DG Plant -filed by Prairie Gen, The Minnesota Project, Hennepin County, CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, Institute for Local Self-Reliance – December 6, 2002
Comments: On Base Tariff and Capacity Payment for Distributed Generation – filed by The Minnesota Project, Institute for Local Self Reliance, Izaak Walton League of America, Midwest Office, December 6, 2003
Comments: Supporting Position on the Payment for Avoided Capacity to DG Customer When No Capacity is Needed by the Utility – filed by Joint Utilities, December 6, 2002
Comments: An Alternative Proposal for Valuing Capacity – filed by Joint Utilities, December 6, 2002
Memo: Adjustments to Capacity Payments – MN Dept. of Commerce, December 4, 2002An explanation of the adjustments the Department proposes to the calculations of avoided capacity costs to accommodate for (a) the timing of the contract and (b) the length of the contract.
Comments on Department’s Proposed Calculation of a Base Tariff for Distributed Generation – Izaak Walton League, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Minnesota Project, November 15, 2002
Comments on Department’s Proposed Calculation of a Base Tariff for Distributed Generation – Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Prairie Gen, The Minnesota Project, Hennepin County, CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, November 15, 2002
Chart: Showing Total Fuel Costs (base costs plus fuel clause adjustments) from 1996 to July 2002 – prepared by the Department of Commerce, November 6, 2002
Draft: Options for Defining Avoided Energy Costs – prepared by the Department of Commerce, November 5, 2002
Draft 2: Menu of DG Interconnection Services Provided by DG Customers to Utilities – submitted by Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Prairie Gen, Hennepin County, CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, October 29, 2002
Proposed Definitions for Must-Buy Situations and Avoided Cost – submitted by Joint Utilities, October 24, 2002
Draft 3: Menu of DG Services To and From Utility/Customer – filed by Joint Utilities, October 23, 2002
- Redlined version showing changes from previous draft
- Also background document FERC March 14, 2002 Order
Comments on Menu of Services from Customer to the Utility – submitted by Joint Utilities, October 8, 2002
Draft 2: Menu of DG Services To and From Utility/Customer – filed by Joint Utilities, October 8, 2002
- Redlined version showing changes from previous draft
Reply to DG Installation Scenarios Memo – Dakota Electric Association, October 7, 2002
Reply to DG Installation Scenarios Memo – Minnesota Power, October 7, 2002 – also Rider for Standby and Supplementary Service and Rider for Parallel Generation
Reply to DG Installation Scenarios Memo – Otter Tail Power, October 7, 2002
Reply to DG Installation Scenarios Memo – Xcel Energy, October 7, 2002
Draft Menu of DG Interconnection Services Provided by DG Customers to Utilities – submitted by Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Prairie Gen, Hennepin County, CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, October 2, 2002
Comments on Joint Utilities Draft Principles for Setting Rates That Utilities Charge for Service and Draft Menu of Interconnection Services from Utility to Customer – submitted by Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Prairie Gen, Hennepin County, CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, October 2, 2002
DG Installation Scenarios for Cost Analysis by Electric Utilities – submitted by John Bailey, John Jaffray and Rafi Sohail, September 27, 2002
Draft Principles for Setting Rates That Utilities Charge for Service – submitted by Joint Utilities, September 18, 2002
Draft Menu of DG Interconnection Services from Utility to Customer – submitted by Joint Utilities, September 16, 2002
DG Background Information from December 3, 2001 Joint Utility Comments – September 16, 2002 (submitted by MN Power to Work Group)
Design Concept of a Supplemental Service Rider -September 16, 2002 (submitted by MN Power to Work Group) [TIF Format]
Distributed Generation Services Defined – Xcel Energy, August 30, 2002
Alternative Rates and Tariffs for Distributed Generation Resources – Larry Schedin (Alliant) August 28, 2002
Proposed DG Service Definitions and Rate Principles – Minnesota Power, August 30, 2002
Definitions, Rate Principles and Comments on Prairie Gen Memo – Doug Larson, Power System Engineering, August 21, 2002
Otter Tail Power’s Standby Service – 2002 Otter Tail Power’s Definition of Services:
- Backup Service: The energy and demand needed during unscheduled outages of the customer’s on-site generator
- Maintenance Service: The energy and demand needed during scheduled outages of the customer’s on-site generator
- Supplemental Service: The energy and demand needed by the customer in addition to the capability of its on-site generator.
Memo from John Jaffray – Prairie Gen LLC, August 14, 2002