The "Big Wire" / Clean Energy Access Policy
The “Big Wire” / Clean Energy Access Policy
Discussion Title: [Feedback]: The Queue, “First-Ready,” and Grid Access
We are analyzing the Interconnection Reform policy.
💼 For Solar/Wind Developers
The Queue: We are moving from “First-Come, First-Served” to “First-Ready, First-Served.” Does this actually help you build faster, or does it just favor big companies with deep pockets?
Key considerations:
- How to define “Ready”: permitting, land control, equipment procurement — what evidence should projects provide to prove readiness?
- Does “First-Ready” risk excluding community solar and small developers who may not have capital to progress through stages quickly?
Cost Sharing: If your project triggers a grid upgrade, should you pay 100% of the cost, or should the ratepayers share it because it improves reliability for everyone?
Options:
- Full developer-pay model (current practice in many interconnection regimes).
- Shared cost model with a reliability surcharge applied to benefiting rate classes.
- A pooled fund for interconnection upgrades seeded by a small surcharge on distribution-level tariffs.
🧪 For Grid Operators
Reliability: Can the local grid handle these new connections without “Virtual Power Plant” (VPP) software to manage the load?
Questions:
- What visibility and controls are required to safely integrate high levels of distributed solar/wind?
- Is mandatory inverter-level telemetry and remote curtailment required for interconnection approval?
🏠 For Ratepayers
The Bill: Does adding more cheap solar actually lower my bill, or do the transmission upgrade costs eat up the savings?
Points:
- Time-of-day value: distributed solar can reduce peak prices but may require storage to capture value for evening peaks.
- Long-term reliability vs short-term prices: upgrades can be amortized over decades and may produce net savings.
Draft Implementation Notes
- Define clear “readiness” gates and a timeline for demonstration of progress to prevent warehousing of queue positions.
- Consider a hybrid cost-share model where major network upgrades are partially socialized.
- Require telemetry/inverter standards for visibility and fast response.