Sec. 20.50.09.07. Lab-Certified and Field-Approved Equipment

A. An interconnection request may be eligible for expedited interconnection review if the small generator facility uses lab-certified or field-approved interconnection equipment.

B. Interconnection equipment shall be considered to be lab-certified upon establishment of the following:

(1) The interconnection equipment has been tested in accordance IEEE Standard 1547.1 in compliance with the appropriate codes and standards referenced in §B(7) of this regulation by any NRTL recognized by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration to test and certify interconnection equipment under the relevant codes and standards listed in §B(7) of this regulation;

(2) The interconnection equipment has been labeled and is publicly listed by the NRTL at the time of the interconnection request;

(3) The NRTL testing the interconnection equipment makes readily available, such as by posting on its website, copies of all test standards and procedures utilized in performing equipment certification, and, with applicant approval, the test data itself;

(4) The applicant verifies that the intended use of the interconnection equipment falls within the use or uses for which the interconnection equipment was labeled, and listed by the NRTL;

(5) If the interconnection equipment is an integrated equipment package such as an inverter, the applicant shall show that the small generator facility is compatible with the interconnection equipment and is consistent with the testing and listing specified for this type of interconnection equipment;

(6) If the interconnection equipment includes only interface components such as switchgear, multifunction relays, or other interface devices, the applicant shall show that the small generator facility is compatible with the interconnection equipment and is consistent with the testing and listing specified for this type of interconnection equipment; and

(7) The interconnection equipment is:

(a) Evaluated by a NRTL in accordance with the following codes and standards:

(i) IEEE Standard 1547, including use of IEEE Standard 1547.1 testing protocols to establish conformity, which are incorporated by reference in COMAR 20.50.02.02; and

(ii) National Electrical Code, which is incorporated by reference in COMAR 20.50.02.02; and

(b) Certified by Underwriters Laboratories under UL Standard 1741.

C. Interconnection equipment manufactured prior to January 1, 2007, does not require testing and listing based on IEEE Standard 1547.1.

D. Interconnection equipment shall be considered to be field approved if within the previous 36 months of the date of the interconnection request, it has been previously approved for use with the proposed small generator facility and the following criteria are met:

(1) The utility has previously approved interconnection equipment identical to that being proposed under the Level 4 study review process described in Regulation .12 of this chapter in a materially identical system application, or the utility has agreed to accept a Level 4 study review conducted for identical interconnection equipment and system application by another utility;

(2) The prior approval process included a successful witness test; and

(3) The applicant provided as part of its interconnection request the following:

(a) A copy of the final certificate of completion from the prior approval process;

(b) A written statement that the proposed interconnection equipment is identical to what was previously approved; and

(c) Documentation or drawings indicating the system interconnection details.