Eversource Energy Service Co., on behalf of its affiliate Public Service Co. of New Hampshire, which in this case is both the transmission and power plant owner, on Nov. 25 filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission an Large Generator Interconnection Agreement for the Schiller Generating Station.
Schiller, located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is owned by PSNH and is a four-unit power plant of 180.6 MW (winter gross) of capacity, consisting of two coal-fired steam units, one wood-fired steam unit and one combustion turbine.
An interconnection agreement has not been necessary until now. This LGIA was recently developed because PSNH successfully bid Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from Schiller Station to The Connecticut Light and Power Co. (CL&P) and The United Illuminating Co. (UI) in a process established under Connecticut statute.
Under this process, PSNH has entered into REC purchase agreements with CL&P and UI that commence on Jan. 1, 2016. These agreements contain a requirement that the awarded bidder have an interconnection agreement between it and the interconnecting utility.
“Although in this instance PSNH is both the interconnecting utility and the owner of the facility supplying the RECs, an interconnection agreement for previously existing interconnection has become necessary to demonstrate compliance with the REC Purchase Agreements and to formalize the existing interconnection arrangement,” said Eversource in the Nov. 25 filing. “Schiller Station is an existing facility already interconnected to PSNH’s transmission facility, and has been participating in the ISO-NE market. Additionally, PSNH is not modifying the existing Schiller Station generating facility or its interconnection facilities and the Large Generator Interconnection Procedures in Schedule 23 to Section II of the ISO-NE Transmission, Markets and Services Tariff do not require a new interconnection request to ISO-NE. For the same reasons, ISO-NE is not required to be a party to a Large Generator Interconnection Agreement. Counsel for PSNH has consulted with counsel for ISO-NE, who has concurred that a new interconnection request triggering the need for a three-party pro forma interconnection agreement is not required under Schedule 23 of the ISO-NE OATT.”
