Grid connection process for distributed photovoltaic power plants
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(1) Preliminary review for enterprise registration § The local development and reform commissions and local power supply companies establish a preliminary review system for the registration of distributed photovoltaic projects. § For projects applied for by enterprises, the owner first goes to the local development and reform department to obtain a preliminary review opinion on the project. After passing this preliminary review, the owner submits the preliminary review opinion along with the relevant application documents to the power company’s service desk; once the documents meet the requirements for grid connection, the power company will accept the application. § For individual residential projects, the power supply company handles the registration process with the relevant energy authorities on behalf of the residents; the residents can apply directly at the service office. Currently, a property ownership certificate is required for registration, so for individual projects without such a certificate, the company will inform them that they need to obtain one first before the application can be processed. (II) Acceptance of applications and on-site inspections: The city branch offices of the power supply company are responsible for accepting grid connection applications submitted by owners of distributed photovoltaic projects. They assist users in filling out the \"Pre-application Form for Distributed Power Projects\", accept relevant supporting documents, review the application materials for grid connection, and only after approval will the applications be formally accepted. 1. The supporting documents for corporate projects include: A. The original and copy of the handler’s ID card, as well as the original power of attorney from the legal representative (or the original and copy of the legal representative’s ID card). B. Supporting documents verifying the legality of items such as the business license for corporate entities and land titles. C. Geographical location map of the power supply site (indicating directions, nearby roads, waterways, etc.) and agreements related to site rental. D. For contract energy management projects, it is necessary to provide the contract energy management cooperation agreement signed between the project owner and the electricity user, as well as the agreement regarding the use or lease of the buildings and facilities. E. **Approval from the investment authority granting consent for the preliminary work of the project. F. Materials related to the preliminary work for other projects. This includes information on power supply and consumption for the project, as well as the electrical primary wiring diagrams of the user’s substation. 2. The supporting documents for residential projects include: A. The original and copy of the applicant’s ID card. B. Household registration book. C. Supporting documents verifying the legality of items such as property ownership certificates. D. For projects that involve installing distributed power sources on public areas such as the rooftops or exterior walls of residential buildings, written consent for the installation must be obtained from the property management, the owners’ committee or residents’ committee, or all the owners in the same building. 3. On-site inspection: After formally accepting the application, the power supply company will organize relevant departments such as its research institute to conduct an on-site inspection in order to prepare a plan for the connection to the system. The project owner should assign appropriate staff to provide assistance and supply the necessary on-site electrical drawings and other relevant documents.
(III) Formulation and review of connection plans: Upon receipt of the application, the power supply company will prepare a \"Connection System Plan for Distributed Power Generation Projects\" based on the actual conditions of the project. After internal review, it will issue a \"Project (Owner) Confirmation Form for the Connection System Plan\"; for projects with a voltage of 10 kV or higher, a \"Opinion Letter on Grid Connection\" will be issued. These documents, along with the connection system plan, are sent to the owner, who is requested to sign and stamp them as confirmation. Each party will hold one copy; once the project owner approves the connection plan, subsequent tasks such as project registration and construction can proceed. (IV) Grid connection project design and construction 1. Design review: The power supply company conducts a review of the design documents for distributed photovoltaic projects funded by enterprises, assists users in filling out the \"Design Document Review Application Form\", accepts relevant supporting documents, organizes the review of the design for the grid connection system, and issues a \"Design Document Review Opinion Letter\". 2. Project construction: For distributed power generation projects that are connected to the user’s internal power grid, the associated construction work is funded by the project owner; whereas the modifications to the public power grid required as a result of this connection are funded by the power supply company. For grid-connected projects invested and constructed by users, the construction units undertaking such projects must possess a license for installing (repairing, testing) electrical facilities issued by the relevant authorities, a qualification certificate for construction enterprises, and a safety production license. In the case of power supply projects that involve the construction (modification) of connections to the public power grid, after starting the construction of the power generation facility, the project owner shall submit documents such as the contract for the construction (installation) of the facility and the purchase contracts for the main equipment to the customer manager of the power supply company. The customer manager will then coordinate with the relevant departments of the company to carry out the construction (modification) work on the public power grid.
(5) Grid connection acceptance and commissioning application: After the project is completed, the project owner shall go to the power supply company’s office to submit an application for grid connection acceptance and commissioning. The power supply company will assist the project owner in filling out the relevant application forms and accept the materials needed for the acceptance and commissioning process. Once all the necessary documents are in place, the power supply company will arrange for the installation of electricity metering devices and the signing of power supply and consumption contracts. It will also carry out inspections of the projects, and for projects with a voltage of 10 kV or higher, a dispatching management agreement will be signed. If the grid connection acceptance is successful, an \"Grid Connection Acceptance Opinion Letter\" will be issued; if the acceptance is unsuccessful, a remediation plan will be proposed. Once the grid connection testing is successful, another \"Grid Connection Acceptance Opinion Letter\" will be issued. The project can operate on the grid only after it has passed the acceptance process. (VI) Contract Type A, applicable to distributed photovoltaic power generation projects connected to the public power grid; it represents a contract between the two parties (for conventional power sources). Category B applies to distributed photovoltaic power generation projects in which the owner of the power generation project and the user are the same legal entity, and such projects are connected to the high-voltage internal grid of the user; it refers to a contract between the two parties. Category C applies to distributed photovoltaic power generation projects in which the owner of the power generation project and the user are the same legal entity, and the system is connected to the user’s internal low-voltage power grid; it constitutes a contract between the two parties. Category D applies to distributed photovoltaic power generation projects in which the owner of the power generation project and the user are separate legal entities, and the system is connected to the user’s internal high-voltage grid; it involves a tripartite contract. Category E is applicable to distributed photovoltaic power generation projects in which the owner of the power generation facility and the user are separate legal entities, and the power is fed into the user’s internal low-voltage power grid; it involves a tripartite contract.
( VII ) Metering and Settlement 1. Metering: Metering devices with the capability to collect electrical energy data should be installed at all connection points of distributed photovoltaic systems, as well as at the points where they are connected to the public power grid. These devices are necessary to accurately measure the amount of electricity generated by the distributed power systems, as well as the amount of electricity consumed by end-users and supplied to them. 2. Settlement: The electricity generated by distributed photovoltaic systems that is fed into the grid and that is drawn from the grid is settled separately; these amounts cannot be offset against each other. The electricity prices are determined in accordance with **relevant policies**. The company provides metering and settlement services for distributed power generation projects that are eligible for **electricity price subsidies. After receiving the subsidy funds allocated by the financial authorities, it pays the project owners in a timely manner in accordance with **policy regulations. After the contract is signed and comes into effect, and after the project begins operating on the power grid, the power supply company is responsible for collecting and calculating the electricity generated by the distributed photovoltaic systems as well as the amount of electricity fed into the grid. It issues preliminary and final settlement statements to the owners of these distributed photovoltaic systems. For distributed power sources owned by enterprises, the invoices for the settlement of electricity costs are issued on a monthly basis by the owners themselves and submitted to the company’s billing department; whereas for individual owners, the billing department handles the issuance of such invoices. (8) Typical design for distributed power source integration into the system: Power supply companies develop plans for integrating distributed photovoltaic systems in accordance with relevant national, industry, local, and corporate technical standards. These plans are formulated with reference to the \"Technical Specifications for Integrating Distributed Power Sources into Distribution Networks\" and the \"Typical Design for Distributed Power Source Integration Systems\". The reference standard is as follows: Systems of 8 kilowatts or less can be connected to 220 volts ； 8 kW to 400 kW can be connected to 380 volts ； 400 kilowatts to 6,000 kilowatts can be connected to 10 kV ； 5,000 kilowatts to over 30,000 kilowatts can be connected to 35 kV ； The final grid-connected voltage level will be determined through technical and economic evaluations based on the conditions of the power grid. If both high and low voltage levels meet the connection requirements, the low voltage level should be preferred for connection. When a 220-volt single-phase connection is used, the final phase of the power supply to be connected is determined in accordance with local power distribution regulations and the results of the three-phase imbalance analysis.