Understand PG&E distribution qualifications
Connect your facility to our wholesale distribution system
Wholesale Distribution Tariff Customers: Reference the documents below for more information. To apply, email WDTLoadApplication@pge.com.
- Wholesale Distribution Tariff (WDT) Application Checklist (PDF, 97 KB)
- WDT Customer Project Unit Cost Guide (PDF, 97 KB)
Connect your generator to our wholesale distribution system
Qualifications
Projects that interconnect with Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) distribution system at a voltage level below 60 kilovolts (kV) are eligible. Distribution is governed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under PG&E's Wholesale Distribution Tariff (WDT) (PDF, 3.7 MB).
Process for interconnecting
The interconnection process begins when you submit an application that a study be initiated by PG&E. There are three paths of study for distribution voltage projects that lead toward interconnection:
- Fast Track
- Independent Study
- Cluster Study
The cost of all relevant studies for the wholesale distribution interconnection process will be the customers responsibility.
Fast Track
This process is for smaller facilities of up to 5 megawatts (MW) and that cause minimal impact on PG&E's electric system. Project proposals are accepted by PG&E throughout the year using a rolling application process. The table below lists the total capacity, including voltage and location conditions necessary to qualify for the Fast Track process.
| Line Voltage Fast | Fast Track Capacity Eligibility Regardless of Location | Fast Track Eligibility on a Mainline and ≤ 2.5 Electrical Circuit Miles from Substation | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
< 5 kV |
≤ 500 kW |
≤ 500 kW |
|
|
≥ 5 kV and < 15 kV |
≤ 2 MW |
≤ 3 MW |
|
|
≥ 15 kV and < 30 kV |
≤ 3 MW |
≤ 4 MW |
|
|
≥ 30 kV and < 60 kV |
≤ 4 MW |
≤ 5 MW |
*The interconnection customer can determine this information about its proposed interconnection location in advance by requesting a pre-application report pursuant to Section 1.2 of PG&E's WDT.
Timing:
The Fast Track study process typically takes about three months and consists of 10 screens. If the Fast Track screens determine that your project does not meet the requirements for the process, an additional independent or cluster study will be required before your project can interconnect.
For more details on the Fast Track process, please review the link below:
Independent Study
This process is for facilities up to 20 MW that pass the electrical independence test, which means it is electrically independent from all other projects in PG&E’s study process queue. Project applications for the Independent Study Process (ISP) are accepted by PG&E on a rolling basis throughout the year.
Timing: An ISP can take six to 12 months to complete, depending on the complexity of the proposed project, including the Electrical Independence Test, the System Impact Study and, possibly, the Facilities Study.
For more details on the ISP, please review the links below:
Cluster Study
This process is for projects that are not electrically independent from all other projects in the study process queue. The process is similar in detail to the Independent Study Process but allows projects to be studied together so that impacts on the system can be understood as a whole and upgrade costs can be split between projects. You can apply only during the cluster study window, which is during the month of March each year.
Timing: Projects studied in the Cluster Study Process must complete both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies, for a total study process lasting between 18 and 20 months.
For more information on the Cluster Study Process, please review the links below:
How to apply
Once a project has completed the study process, the customer is eligible to sign an interconnection agreement (IA) with PG&E. The signing of the IA signifies the beginning of the construction of the PG&E facilities required to connect the generator to the distribution grid, if any additional facilities are required.
- Access the Wholesale Distribution Online Application
- Download Generator Interconnection Request (Application Form) (PDF, 370 KB)
- Download Wholesale Distribution Online Application Checklist (PDF, 260 KB)
Additional Considerations: The type of agreement you may enter into is determined by the type of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) you sign.
- If you sign a Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) PPA, you are eligible to sign an Electric Rule 21 agreement.
- If you sign a PPA other than a PURPA PPA, you must execute either a California Independent System Operator (CAISO) Tariff or a Wholesale Distribution Tariff (WDT) agreement. The type of PPA you choose and whether you connect at the transmission level, 60 kV and above, or distribution level, less than 60 kV, will determine the type of interconnection agreement you sign with PG&E. An example of a PG&E PURPA PPA is the AB 1613 program.
For more information on the different study processes or on interconnection agreements, please review the links above or contact the Electric Generation Interconnection (EGI) team at wholesalegen@pge.com or rule21gen@pge.com.
Understanding costs
The costs of interconnecting your generation system to the PG&E electric system will depend on several factors, including the system size, substation and circuit capability and voltage considerations. The electric system nearest your site may not have the capacity to receive the amount of electricity you propose to generate. As a result, you may be required to pay for upgrades to the system's interconnection facilities, distribution system and network to accommodate your request.