scope:

This guide describes criteria, scope, and extent for engineering studies of the impact on area electric power systems of a distributed resource (DR) or aggregate distributed resource interconnected to an area electric power distribution system.

Purpose

The creation of IEEE Std 1547™-2003 has led to the increased adoption of DR throughout distribution systems.^1,2 This document describes a methodology for performing engineering studies of the potential impact of a DR interconnected to an area electric power distribution system. Study scope and extent are described as functions of identifiable characteristics of the DR, the area electric power system, and the interconnection. Criteria are described for determining the necessity of impact mitigation.

Establishment of this guide allows DR owners, interconnection contractors, area electric distribution power system owners and operators, and regulatory bodies to have a described methodology for when distribution system impact studies are appropriate, what data are required, how they are performed, and how the study results are evaluated. In the absence of such guidelines, the necessity and extent of DR interconnection impact studies has been widely and inconsistently defined and applied.

¹ IEEE publications are available from The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (http://standards.ieee.org/).

² Information on references can be found in Clause 2.