Generation Connection

Standard Offer Program

The Ontario Power Authority’s Standard Offer Program has become available as of November 22, 2006. The OPA has put in place standard pricing, simplified commercial contracts and standardized interconnection contracts for renewable generation.

What is the Standard Offer Program?
The Standard Offer Program encourages the use of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, photovoltaic (PV), renewable biomass, bio-gas, bio-fuel, landfill gas, or drop in water elevation for generating electricity. Renewable generation up to 10 megawatts, which meets the program's requirements, may be connected to the Westario Power distribution system.

Who is eligible to participate in the Standard Offer Program?
Participation in the Standard Offer Program is available to all Westario Power customers with a generator that meets all of the following conditions:

• Generates electricity using renewable sources of energy;
• Has a generating capacity of no more than 10 MW;
• Is connected to the Westario Power distribution system at 50 kV or less.

What is the process for participating in the Standard Offer Program?
Customers interested in participating in the Standard Offer Program must follow the same connection process as those customers wishing to install and connect Embedded Generation. The Ontario Energy Board has established an Embedded Connection Process for Micro, Small, and Mid-Sized generators outlined in Appendix F of the Distribution System Code.

Westario Power and the 15 other member utilities of the Cornerstone Hydro Electric Concepts Group have prepared a clear-language document Guidelines for Applicants Connecting Distributed Generation. This guide contains an overview of the Ontario electricity transmission system, typical LDC Hydro distribution systems and safety, power quality, protection and other technical issues related to new generation.
This guide has two goals:

• To provide the technical requirements of connecting distributed generation to an LDC’s distribution system
• To outline the necessary administrative procedures

Distributed generation is any type of electrical generator or static inverter producing alternating current that has the capability of Parallel Operation with the LDC distribution system, or is designed to operate separately from the LDC system and can supply a load that can also be fed by the LDC system.

In addition, customers must also submit a Standard Offer Program application to the Ontario Power Authority. If the generator is more than 10 kW, the Ontario Power Authority requires an Impact Assessment from Westario Power as a part of your Standard Offer Program application to the Ontario Power Authority.

Use the OPA’s online form to apply for a contract under the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program.

Net Metering

The provincial government’s Net Metering regulation allows you to send electricity generated from renewable sources to the electrical grid for a credit toward your energy costs. If you supply power that is worth more than what you take from the grid over the billing period, you’ll receive a credit that can help lower future energy bills. The more electricity you produce, the greater your savings.

Who is eligible?
Net metering is available to any Ontario customer who generates electricity primarily for their own use from a renewable source (wind, water, solar or agricultural biomass), using equipment of maximum cumulative output up to 500 kilowatts in size.

For more details, visit the Ontario Ministry of Energy's website on Net Metering.

All charges to implement generation, including any changes in metering, would be borne by the customer as part of the project costs. Westario Power would read the meter during the regular billing cycles. The meter records energy consumed by the customer, and energy delivered by the customer to the distribution network. The customer would be billed, or credited, the difference.