2. Procedural Background

In response to the above-captioned rulemaking, the Energy Commission initiated a workshop process to explore revisions to the current interconnection rules. The goal was to simplify and standardize utility interconnection protocols

and to develop proposed tariff rule language that could apply to all distributed generation facilities seeking to interconnect with the utilities.

The Energy Commission opened its own Order Instituting Investigation (OII) on November 3, 1999. Workshops were held in December, January, and March, with additional discussions occurring in April and May. Publicly-owned utilities, investor-owned utilities, manufacturers, generators, ratepayer advocates, energy service providers, California Independent System Operator, and California Air Resources Board participated in the workshops. The recommendations developed by the Energy Commission are based largely on the work of a group of technical and non-technical stakeholders over this time period.

The Energy Commission staff prepared a report on the workshops in April. The Siting Committee at the Energy Commission adopted and forwarded recommendations to the full Commission in May. Participants submitted comments on both reports. On June 14, 2000, the Energy Commission adopted "Recommendations Regarding Distributed Generation Interconnection Rules." This document sets forth the Energy Commission's recommendations for changes to existing interconnection rules that are part of utility tariff Rule 21. The Energy Commission filed its recommendation with this Commission on June 27, 2000. PG&E, SDG&E, and SCE filed comments on the recommendations on July 17, 2000, Honeywell Power Systems, Inc. (Honeywell) filed reply comments on July 25, 2000.