INFORMATION PACKAGE ON EMBEDDED GENERATION FACILITIES WITHIN LONDON HYDRO’S DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

What is new in Ontario’s electricity sector?

One of the recent goals of the Provincial Government is to create more opportunities and encourage the connection of small generation facilities to the electrical distribution grid. As a result, under the direction of the Ministry of Energy, two new programs are being offered to any Ontario electricity consumer who can generate electricity from renewable resources:

1) The Net Metering Program

2) The Standard Offer Program (SOP)

These programs allow customers to generate some or all of their electric load requirements (referred to as load displacement), and also export the excess power onto the local distribution electrical grid (referred to as an embedded generator). The process is governed by regulated financial settlements with the Local Distribution Company (LDC) in accordance with the Retail Settlement Code (RSC).

What do you need to know about embedded generation?

Embedded generation is considered any generation facility which is not directly connected to the transmission grid but instead is connected to a distribution system (i.e., London Hydro Inc.)

London Hydro Inc. supports the incorporation of embedded generation facilities within the electrical distribution system in the City of London. The process is guided by the latest revision of the Distribution System Code (DSC) issued by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). The Code sets out the minimum obligations that a licensed electricity distributor must meet in carrying out its obligations. The latest revision of the Code can be found on the official web site of the OEB under Industry Relations / Rules, Codes, Guidelines and Codes.

Generators of electricity are divided into different sizes in accordance with the DSC.

Generator Classification	Rating	Program Eligibility
Micro	<=10 kW	Net Metering / SOP
Small	>=10 kW and <= 1 MW	Net Metering up to 500 kW / SOP
Mid-Sized	>=500 kW and <=10 MW	SOP
Large	> 10 MW	N/A

For any generation interconnection to its distribution system London Hydro Inc. will apply its Conditions of Service. Any generator is financially responsible for any metering changes that London Hydro Inc. may deem necessary to allow for settlement purposes under a specific program.

To find out about the requirements for the connection process of a micro-generation facility and how to apply, click here.

To connect a generation facility larger than 10 kW, there is a multi-step process and a different type of application has to be submitted. Click here for a simplified description of the application process and to view the connection agreement form for a small and mid-sized generation facility.

If you are interested in installing a large generation facility and embed it into the electrical distribution grid, please contact the Operations Department at London Hydro.

The process of generation interconnection to a distribution grid at a macro level follows this schematic. London Hydro reserves the right to modify it accordingly from case to case.

Contact Information

For further inquiries on embedded generation within London Hydro’s system or on applications to interconnect a generation facility to London Hydro’s distribution system, please contact:

Cristina Terek at 519-661-5800, or by email at admin@londonhydro.com