Since 2021, the Law on Microgeneration has come into force in Russia. According to this law, both individuals and individual entrepreneurs, as well as commercial organizations, can officially sell surplus generated energy.

Despite the fact that the law was adopted at the end of 2019, there is still no clear procedure for a microgeneration facility. Therefore, in this article we have tried to provide step-by-step instructions for connecting.

Let us briefly recall the main points:
Who can connect?
Owners of a microgeneration facility: these can be both individuals and commercial structures, individual entrepreneurs, LLCs, JSCs.
How much energy can be “thrown” into the network?
The volume of electricity supplied to the network should not exceed 15 kW per hour. The station can have a power of 30 kW, but no more than the specified figure can be supplied to the network.
What are the restrictions??
The building or premises on which the microgeneration facility is installed must be connected to electrical networks with a voltage level of up to 1000V. What does it mean? This applies more to commercial organizations than to individuals. persons. For example, if your organization receives power directly from a 10 kV transformer substation (10/0.4 kV transformer substation), then you will not be able to connect via microgeneration.

What is the procedure for applying and interacting?

To do the complete connection procedure, you will need to interact with two companies, these are network company and energy sales company. Since we are located in the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, we will show everything using our own experience as an example and here we interact with JSC “Grid Company” and JSC “Tatenergosbyt”. In other regions of Russia you will have to contact local regional companies. According to the step-by-step algorithm below, we have successfully connected 6 network solar power plants under the microgeneration law.
What can you connect?
The main activity of the REENERGO company is solar power plants, so we will show the application procedure using an example grid solar power planthowever, using this algorithm, other types of generating devices can be connected to networks:

• wind power plants;
• hydroelectric power stations;
• diesel power plants;
• gas piston power plants.

The main condition is that each of these power plants be able to operate in parallel with the network, i.e. it must be synchronized with the network in both frequency and voltage. For example, all grid-connected solar inverters can do this out of the box.

First, we submit an application to the network company, and as soon as everything is ready on their part, we submit an application to the energy sales company.

Stage 1. Submitting an application to the network company

The application procedure consists of several stages:
Submitting an application for technological connection of a microgeneration facility. The application form itself is contained in Appendix No. 7 to the Law. An example of a completed application form is attached.

Step 1. Fill out an application for technical connection

Download the application template (.doc) and fill it out according to the points below:

1. Full name of the applicant and his registration address
2. Address of the installation site of a microgeneration facility, for example, a network solar power plant
3. We indicate the phase of the system, single-phase (1P) and three-phase (3P)
4. Rated power of the system, here we indicate the rated power of the inverter, because The solar power plant is limited by the power of the inverter and cannot discharge more than this figure into the network, even if the total power of the panels is greater than the power of the inverter.



5. We indicate the voltage, if the microgeneration facility is single-phase, then 0.22 kW, if three-phase, then 0.4 kW
6. Once again we specify the maximum power of our system
7. We indicate the number of inverters
8. We indicate the coefficient of nonlinear distortion. This parameter is indicated in the technical specifications of the inverter, the usual value is “<3%”
9. We indicate the speed of power increase and decrease. This value is not indicated anywhere, neither in the operating instructions nor in the technical specifications. For low-power systems, namely for solar power plants with a capacity of 3-5 kW, we indicate a value of 0.1 kW/s. We obtained this value experimentally by observing the operation of the inverter during installation and commissioning.



10. We indicate the time frame for when the microgeneration facility will be put into operation. We usually indicate the month the application was submitted.

This completes the application. Next, you need to print out this application and attach to it copies of the documents specified in step 2.

Step 2. Prepare copies of the following documents:

• Please submit a copy of your passport: double page with photo and double page with registration
• Copy of SNILS
• Copy of an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate to your home
• A copy of the extract from the Unified State Register for the site
• House layout plan, you can take a screenshot from 2GIS. On the screenshot you need to indicate the location of the support (pillar) from which power is supplied to the house.
• A copy of the certificate for solar panels. You need to ask the equipment seller.
• A copy of the certificate and operating instructions for the inverter. Need to ask the equipment seller
• Inverter operating instructions. Usually you can send it electronically, because… this is quite a lengthy document
• Sometimes you may be asked for a single line connection diagram.

Step 3. Review of the application by the network company.

Next, the network company accepts your application, assigns it a number by which you can later track the status of the work, and reviews your application, usually within 1-2 weeks. If some data is missing, the network company can either ask to provide it or cancel the application, in which case the application will need to be submitted again with an additional set of documents.
Typically, further interaction occurs through your personal account (PA). If everything is in order with the documents, then the network company:

• via LC sends an agreement and an invoice for payment for technological connection services. We check everything, pay the bill
• sends a notification via personal account that payment has been received
• via LC sends technical conditions (TS) that the applicant must fulfill. Let’s carry them out. Below you can download a real example of the technical conditions sent by the network company. From this example, we have removed all personal data of the applicant.
  EXAMPLE. Technical specifications Network company (download pdf)
• can contact you to coordinate a time to install a bidirectional meter
• installs a bidirectional meter
• via LC sends a certificate of completion of the technological connection
  EXAMPLE. Certificate of fulfillment of technical specifications by the network company (download pdf)
• via LC sends the certificate of approval of the metering device for operation.
  EXAMPLE. Metering device approval certificate (download pdf)

This completes the procedure for technological connection of the microgeneration facility.

How much does a technological connection for microgeneration cost?

Until June 30, 2022 technical connection of a microgeneration facility cost 550 rubles. Regardless of the requested power, this price also included a bidirectional meter. According to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated June 30, 2022 No. 1178 “On amendments to certain acts of the Government of the Russian Federation on technological connection issues…” from July 1, 2022. Each subject of the Russian Federation will set the cost of technological connection of a microgeneration facility at its own discretion for each kW of the requested maximum power, but there is a minimum cost limit:

• not less than 3000 rub. – from July 1, 2022
• not less than 4000 rub. -from July 1, 2023
• not less than 5000 rub. – from July 1, 2024

For example, in the Republic of Tatarstan, according to the resolution of the State Committee of the Republic of Tatarstan No. 106-54/TP-2022 dated July 20, 2022. the cost is set at 3000 rubles. for 1 kW of requested power, at the same time, there is also a tariff for 1000 rubles, but for preferential categories of citizens. Thus, connecting a solar power plant with a capacity of 11.2 kW will cost 33,600 rubles.

Stage 2. Concluding an energy purchase and sale agreement

At the next stage, after completing the technical connection of the microgeneration facility, we will have to communicate with the energy sales company. In some regions of Russia, the network and energy supply companies are represented by one person, then the application will be needed within the framework of one company, accordingly, all documents for the application will be “automatically” ready. However, most often these are 2 different and independent companies, so a new package of documents will be needed. The application procedure also consists of several steps:

Step 1. Application to the energy supply company.

We write a letter in free form to the contact email of the energy sales company with approximately the following content:

In connection with the completed procedure for the technological connection of a microgeneration facility, we ask you to begin the procedure for concluding an agreement for the purchase and sale of surplus energy under the Law on Microgeneration.”

We send copies of the following documents as attachments to the letter:

• copy of passport, double page with photo and double page with registration
• copy of SNILS
• copy of TIN
• Certificate from TP of microgeneration facility
• Certificate of commissioning of the metering device
• Bank details of the applicant – payment for sold kilowatts will be sent to these details

Step 2. Registration of request

The energy supply company must register this request and assign it an incoming number. If after a day or two there is no response from them, then you can try calling them on the hotline, find out whether the appeal has reached them and what number is assigned to this appeal.

Step 3. Registration actions of the energy sales company

Next, the energy sales company must:

• Deregister the old meter
• Register the newly installed bidirectional meter

Step 4. Concluding a purchase and sale agreement

Next, the energy sales company must begin the procedure for concluding a contract for the sale and purchase of surplus energy (Download the contract template). Only after completing all these procedures in the inverter can the restriction on the transfer of excess to the network be removed.

TOTAL:

The technological connection of the microgeneration facility took us 20 days: we submitted an application on August 20, and the grid company completed all procedures on September 9.

For our customers, namely for those who buy a complete set of network or hybrid-grid solar power plant, we will prepare a complete set of documents absolutely free of charge, and if you are in Tatarstan, then with a 100% guarantee we will carry out the procedure for technological connection and concluding a purchase and sale agreement excess energy. We will take over all the bureaucracy.

If you have questions about this procedure, we will be happy to answer them in the comments.