What counts as a network upgrade
Examples are a rebuilt transmission line, a new transformer, added breakers or a new switching station. Network upgrades sit on the utility side, beyond the point of interconnection, and serve the grid as a whole.
They differ from interconnection facilities, which are the line and equipment that link the project itself to the grid.
Cost and time
Network upgrades are often the largest unknown in a project schedule. A site that needs a new line can wait years for it. Who pays differs by region, by utility and by whether the project is a generator or a load. The study report and the interconnection agreement set it out.
Questions people ask
Can I know the network upgrades before a study?
Not with certainty. Public data can hint at crowded areas, but only the utility study names the upgrades and their cost.
Do network upgrades affect time to power?
Yes. They are one of the main reasons two nearby sites can have very different connection dates.
Related
More glossary
- What is time to power?
- What is powered land?
- What is a powered shell?
- What is large load interconnection?
- What is a point of interconnection?
- What is an interconnection queue?
- What is queue position?
- What is ERCOT?
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