Sec. 20.50.09.13. Dispute Resolution

A. The applicant and utility shall attempt to resolve all disputes regarding interconnection as provided in this regulation promptly, equitably, and in a good faith manner.

B. Dispute Resolution Before the Commission.

(1) If a dispute arises, the applicant or utility may seek immediate resolution through the procedures of COMAR 20.32.01, or an alternative dispute resolution process approved by the Commission, by providing written notice to the Commission and the other party stating the issues in dispute.

(2) Dispute resolution shall be conducted in an informal, expeditious manner to reach resolution with minimal costs and delay.

(3) If available, dispute resolution may be conducted by phone.

C. Dispute Resolution by Technical Master.

(1) If disputes relate to the technical matters regarding the interconnection process, upon the request of the applicant and utility and at their cost, the Commission may designate a technical master to resolve the dispute.

(2) The Commission may designate a Department of Energy National Laboratory, PJM Interconnection, LLC, a college or university with electric distribution system engineering expertise, or another electric distribution system expert unaffiliated with the interconnection process in dispute as the technical master.

(3) Upon Commission designation, the applicant and utility shall use the technical master to resolve disputes related to interconnection.

(4) Responsibility for the costs for a dispute resolution conducted by the technical master shall be determined either prior to submission of the dispute to the technical master by the applicant and utility, or by the technical master after the resolution of the dispute.

D. Pursuit of dispute resolution may not affect an applicant with regard to consideration of an interconnection request or an applicant's queue position.

E. Any deadline imposed by the regulations in this chapter, which is directly affected by any issue in dispute, shall be suspended until resolution of the dispute.