Electricity grid connection conditions – what should you bear in mind?

Connection terms and conditions – what should they include?

In accordance with Section 4 of the Regulation, the connection conditions specify in particular:

• the connection point;
• the property, facility or premises to which electricity is to be supplied or from which it is to be drawn;
• the point of demarcation between the property of the electricity transmission or distribution network operator and the equipment, installations or network of the entity whose equipment, installations or network are to be connected;
• the point of electricity supply;
• connection capacity;
• type of connection;
• the scope of necessary modifications to the network related to the connection;
• the rated data of the equipment, installations and network, and the permissible operating limits;
• permissible level of variation in the technical parameters of the electricity;
• location of the metering and billing system;
• requirements concerning the metering and billing system and the method of data acquisition from the metering system;
• the type and location of the main protection, rated data and necessary requirements regarding electrical protection and system automation;
• data enabling the determination, at the point of connection, of the values of:
  1. multi-phase short-circuits and their trip times,
  2. earth faults and their tripping times or durations;
• the required degree of reactive power compensation;
• requirements regarding:
  1. adapting connected equipment, installations or networks to dispatch control systems,
  2. adapting the metering and billing system to remote meter reading systems,
  3. protection of the network against electrical disturbances caused by the equipment, installations or networks of the entity whose equipment, installations or networks are to be connected;
  4. equipping the devices, installations or networks with the necessary components to operate with the network to which the connection is to be made;
• the ability to supply electricity under non-standard conditions;
• data and information concerning the network necessary for the selection of an electric shock protection system in the installation or network of the entity whose installations or networks are to be connected;
• an electrical diagram indicating the connection point and the boundary between the energy company’s network and the equipment, installations or networks of the entity whose equipment, installations or networks are to be connected – in the case of entities classified in connection groups I, II or III.

Accordingly, it should be noted that the connection conditions should contain at least the above information; however, the energy company may also expand the content when drawing up the conditions.

Application for connection to the electricity network – what does it contain?

The legislator has specified that an application for the determination of connection conditions should, as a rule, contain:

• the name of the entity applying for the connection – the applicant;
• specification of the connection capacity for each point of electricity supply;
• the anticipated date for the commencement of electricity supply or consumption;
• technical parameters, operational and performance characteristics of the connected equipment, installations or networks with a connection capacity exceeding 40 kW;
• specification of the minimum consumption capacity to ensure the safety of persons and property;
• technical information regarding disturbances introduced by the applicant’s equipment, installations and networks, and load characteristics necessary to determine the connection conditions for entities classified in connection groups I–IV;
• a single-line diagram of the equipment, installations or networks to be connected, together with a description thereof.

The above information is specified in § 6(1) of the Regulation and is further elaborated in subsequent provisions depending on the subject of the application and the entity applying for connection. However, the legislator states in Article 7(3b) that the application for connection should include, in particular, the identification of the entity, a description of the property, facility or premises, and the information necessary to ensure compliance with the technical and operational requirements referred to in Article 7a of the Energy Law.

The application must be accompanied by:

• a document confirming the applicant’s legal title to use the building in which the connected equipment, installations or networks will be used;
• a site plan or sketch showing the location of the facility where the connected equipment, installations or networks will be used, in relation to the existing network and the location of neighbouring facilities;

It should be noted that the energy company is obliged to draw up a template for the connection application in accordance with the above, and then publish this application on its website.

The process of obtaining connection conditions.

Submission of the application.

The applicant downloads the application form available on the energy company’s website, completes it and submits it to the company. Upon the applicant’s request, the energy company is obliged to confirm, in writing, in paper form or electronically, the submission of the application, specifying the date of submission. This is of crucial importance due to the statutory deadline imposed on the energy company for issuing the conditions.

It should also be noted that an entity applying to connect an electricity source or storage facility to a network with a rated voltage higher than 1 kV is required to pay an advance payment within 14 days of submitting the application. This advance payment is made towards the grid connection fee of PLN 30 for each kilowatt of connection capacity specified in the application for the determination of connection conditions in accordance with Article 7(8a) of the Energy Law. However, the amount of the advance payment may not exceed the amount of the estimated grid connection fee and may not exceed PLN 3,000,000.00.

Request to rectify deficiencies.

In accordance with §8(1) of the Regulation, where an application has been submitted in a form not in accordance with the template, the energy company shall request the applicant to rectify the deficiencies within 14 days of receiving the request, together with instructions. Failure to rectify the deficiencies within 14 days shall result in the application being left unexamined. Furthermore, the energy company shall inform the applicant that the application has been left unexamined due to the failure to rectify the deficiencies within the specified time limit.

Issuance of connection conditions and their validity period.

The connection conditions are provided to the applicant within the statutory period of 21 to 150 days. The length of this period is determined by the legislator depending on the entity applying for the connection. The shortest period of 21 days from the date of submission of the application applies to applicants classified in connection groups V or VI connected to a network with a voltage not exceeding 1 kV (see Article 7(8g) of the Energy Law).

The connection conditions are provided to the applicant together with the draft grid connection agreement. The connection conditions are valid for two years from the date of their delivery. During the period of validity, the conditions constitute an obligation on the part of the energy company to conclude a connection agreement.

Refusal to conclude a contract.

In Article 7(1) of the Energy Law, the legislator established the principle of equal treatment and connection, which is relevant when concluding a connection agreement. This principle means that where the technical and economic conditions for connection to the grid exist and the applicant has met the conditions for connection to the grid, the energy company is obliged to conclude a connection agreement. This principle also applies in the event of a refusal to conclude an agreement. Where an energy company refuses to conclude a connection agreement, it is obliged, at the applicant’s request, to provide information on the measures that must be taken to expand the network in order for the connection to take place, together with a specification of the connection fee referred to in Article 7(9) of the Energy Law. The energy company shall inform the applicant of this right in the notification of refusal to connect.