As your electric cooperative, KIUC is your source for energy and information. Interest in solar power continues to grow as residents and businesses look to save money and support renewable energy.
Download an interconnection request application and read the rules governing interconnection in Tariff No. 2 – Distributed Generation – Interconnection Policies and Procedures.
If your system is going to be 10kW or less, which is the case with most residential systems, look for Tariff No. 2, Attachment 5. If your system is greater than 10kW, look for Tariff No. 2, Attachment 2. Applications are also available at our office.
The Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission requires customers to submit an application to KIUC for an engineering review. This step is extremely important and ensures that the PV system can be safely and reliably tied into the utility grid. This step also allows us to tell you whether you will have to pay any interconnection costs. For example, the size of your system may require us to install a larger transformer. The engineering review will describe the interconnection costs, if any, and we can recommend ways to reduce your costs by changing the size of your proposed system.
Most residential systems are below 10kW so there’s no cost for the application. There is a $100 nonrefundable processing fee if the interconnection request is for a system greater than 10kW.
For systems producing less than 10 kW, which are most residential systems, KIUC will acknowledge receipt of the application within five business days. KIUC will then evaluate the application and will notify you within 15 days of the receipt of the application whether additional information is needed or if the application is complete.
For systems larger than 10 kW, KIUC has 20 business days to acknowledge receipt of the application. KIUC then has 30 business days to review the application. If the application is approved, KIUC will send an interconnection agreement and the customer has 30 business days to sign and return the agreement. If the application is not approved, KIUC has 10 business days to schedule a meeting with the customer to discuss their options.
Schedule Q is the program by which KIUC pays you for the excess power you generate. The rate changes monthly and it reflects the amount KIUC would have had to pay to generate the power if we didn’t buy it from you. Because KIUC generates most of its electricity by burning oil, this so-called “avoided cost” calculation is tied to the price of oil. As more renewables come on line and KIUC burns less oil, the amount paid under Schedule Q is expected to drop.
There’s a limit to how much PV our system can take. On a sunny afternoon when all of the PV systems on the island are at their maximum output, there is often more power being generated than there is demand. So there may be times when our system won’t accept all of the solar power available. That’s known as curtailment (refer to Curtailment FAQ’s for more information on curtailment).
It’s up to you. Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Call around and get several bids before deciding.
Please call 246.4300. And you can always email info@kiuc.coop.
