Hello Dick - Thank you for the information. It looks like VT requires just 1
net-metered generator disconnect.
Wrenches - I would like to get more feedback as we are forming a taskforce
to deal with this and other LADWP obstructionist issues. Please email me for
a copy of the contractor's drawing that shows LADWP wants a 2nd disconnect
plus the PV system locking disconnect and system meter that the contractor
included. The X on the drawing between the service panel and revenue meter
is where LADWP's interconnection department wants a new disconnect and
circuit breaker.
This issue is important because LADWP is the largest municipal utility in
the U.S. and is promoting its dysfunctional solar program as a model for
other utilities. In addition, the City of Los Angeles has an arbitrary and
restrictive solar permitting and inspection process (the whole fire marshal
setbacks issue started in LA).
You may recall that this is the same utility that locked out homeowners' and
businesses' PV systems for most of a summer from April until August 2002.
The lockout delayed projects, caused PV businesses to lose income, put an
unwarranted shadow of doubt and fear in customers' minds and undermines
decades of PV industry work providing safe solar power systems. The PV
system hostage situation ended when LADWP workers got their union contract.
In the end, nothing was wrong with the PV systems and none were found to be
unsafe.
This is the same utility that in 1979 committed 100,000 rooftop photovoltaic
systems by 2010 to the Million Solar Roofs Program. In 1998 I trained LADWP
technicians and managers how to install PV systems, showed them how to copy
the successful Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) PV Volunteer
program and how to set up a rebate program to encourage homeowners and
businesses to go solar. 18 months later there were less than 100 solar
rooftops.
The same backsliding happened with LADWP's local manufacturing solar credit
to encourage solar factories to set up in LA. In 2003, I was Solar
Integrated Technologies' general manager, a solar factory in South LA. As
soon as we got into production, LADWP suspended the local manufacturing
solar credit. Instead of leaving Los Angeles like Shell Solar, SIT decided
to hang in there and sell its products to Europeans who had better
incentives.
LADWP over and over since the early 1980s has failed to live up to it solar
commitments. Now LADWP has put Measure B on the March ballot. Measure B is a
union grab for 400 MW of PV work and another failure waiting to happen. See
today's LA Times "Vote No on B" editorial at
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-measureb26-2009feb26,0,2365192.story
Joel Davidson
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard L Ratico" <richard.l.rat...@valley.net>
To: <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 4:26 PM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] 2 PV utility interconnect disconnects?
Hi Joel,
Here's a link to utility requirements in VT as of 1/8/08.
See drawings #405 & #406 at the end of the document.
Looks like a PITA for existing structures where a backfed breaker won't
work.
http://www.cvps.com/CustomerService/Book01-08.pdf
Dick
Dick Ratico
Solarwind Electric
Bradford, VT 05033
VT #EM-4156
NH #10483 M
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