OAR 860-029-0010
Definitions for Division 029 Rules
(1)
“Avoided costs” means the electric utility’s incremental costs of electric energy or capacity or both which, but for the purchase from the qualifying facility or qualifying facilities, the electric utility would generate itself or purchase from another source, including any costs of interconnection of such resource to the system.(2)
“Back-up power” and “stand-by power” mean electric energy or capacity supplied by a public utility to replace energy ordinarily generated by a qualifying facility’s own generation equipment during an unscheduled outage of the facility.(3)
“Capacity” means the average output in kilowatts (kW) committed by a qualifying facility to an electric utility during a specific period.(4)
“Capacity costs” mean the costs associated with supplying capacity; they are an allocated component of the fixed costs associated with providing the capability to deliver energy.(5)
“Cogeneration” means the sequential generation of electric energy and useful heat from the same primary energy source or fuel for industrial, commercial, heating, or cooling purposes.(6)
“Cogeneration facility” means a facility which produces electric energy and steam or other forms of useful energy (such as heat) by cogeneration that are used for industrial, commercial, heating, or cooling purposes.(7)
“Commercial operation date” means the date after start-up testing is complete and the qualifying facility is fully operational and capable of delivering output.(8)
“Commission” means the Public Utility Commission of Oregon.(9)
“Costs of interconnection” means the reasonable costs of connection, switching, dispatching, metering, transmission, distribution, equipment necessary for system protection, safety provisions, and administrative costs incurred by an electric utility directly related to installing and maintaining the physical facilities necessary to permit purchases from a qualifying facility.(10)
“Demand” means the average rate in kilowatts at which electric energy is delivered during a set period, to be determined by mutual agreement between the electric utility and the customer.(11)
“Effective date” means the date on which a power purchase agreement is executed by both the qualifying facility and the public utility.(12)
“Electric utility” means a nonregulated utility or a public utility as defined in ORS 758.505 (Definitions for ORS 758.505 to 758.555).(13)
“Energy” means electric energy, measured in kilowatt hours (kWh).(14)
“Energy costs” means:(a)
For nonfirm energy, the incremental costs associated with the production or purchase of electric energy by the electric utility, which include the cost of fuel and variable operation and maintenance expenses, or the cost of purchased energy;(b)
For firm energy, the combined allocated fixed costs and associated variable costs applicable to a displaced generating unit or to a purchase.(15)
“Firm energy” means a specified quantity of energy committed by a qualifying facility to an electric utility.(16)
“Fixed rate term” means for qualifying facilities electing to sell firm energy or firm capacity or both, the period of a power purchase agreement during which the public utility pays the qualifying facility avoided cost rates determined either at the time of contracting or at the time of delivery.(17)
“Index rate” means the lowest avoided cost approved by the Commission for a generating utility for the purchase of energy or energy and capacity of similar characteristics including on-line date, duration of obligation, and quality and degree of reliability.(18)
“Interruptible power” means electric energy or capacity supplied by a public utility to a qualifying facility subject to interruption by the electric utility under certain specified conditions.(19)
“Maintenance power” means electric energy or capacity supplied by a public utility during scheduled outages of a qualifying facility.(20)
“Nameplate capacity” means the full-load electrical quantities assigned by the designer to a generator and its prime mover or other piece of electrical equipment, such as transformers and circuit breakers, under standardized conditions, expressed in amperes, kilovoltamperes, kilowatts, volts, or other appropriate units. Nameplate capacity is usually indicated on a nameplate attached to the individual machine or device.(21)
“Nonfirm energy” means energy to be delivered by a qualifying facility to an electric utility on an “as available” basis; or energy delivered by a qualifying facility in excess of its firm energy commitment. The rate for nonfirm energy may contain an element representing the value of aggregate capacity of nonfirm sources.(22)
“Nonregulated utility” means an entity providing retail electric utility service to Oregon customers that is a people’s utility district organized under ORS Chapter 261 (People’s Utility Districts), a municipal utility operating under ORS Chapter 225 (Municipal Utilities), or an electric cooperative organized under ORS Chapter 62 (Cooperatives).(23)
“Primary energy source” means the fuel or fuels used for the generation of electric energy. The term does not include minimum amounts of fuel required for ignition, start-up, testing, flame stabilization, and control uses; the term does not include minimum amounts of fuel required to alleviate or prevent unanticipated equipment outages and emergencies which directly affect the public health, safety, or welfare.(24)
“Purchase” means the purchase of electric energy or capacity or both from a qualifying facility by an electric utility.(25)
“Public utility” means a utility regulated by the Commission under ORS Chapter 757 (Utility Regulation Generally), that provides electric power to customers.(26)
“Purchase term” means the period of a power purchase agreement during which the qualifying facility is selling its output to the public utility.(27)
“Qualifying facility” means a cogeneration facility or a small power production facility as defined by these rules.(28)
“Rate” means any price, charge, or classification made, demanded, observed, or received with respect to the sale or purchase of electric energy or capacity or any rule, regulation, or practice respecting any such price, charge, or classification.(29)
“Renewable Portfolio Standard” is the standard for large electric utilities in ORS 469A.052 (Large utility renewable portfolio standard)(1) or the standard for small electric utilities in ORS 469A.055 (Small electric utilities) in effect as of October 23, 2018.(30)
“RPS attributes” means all attributes related to the net output generated by the qualifying facility that are required to provide the public utility with “qualifying electricity” as that term is defined in Oregon’s Renewable Portfolio Standard Act, ORS 469A.010 (Qualifying electricity), in effect as of October 23, 2018. RPS attributes do not include environmental attributes that are greenhouse gas offsets from methane capture not associated with the generation of electricity.(31)
“Sale” means the sale of electric energy or capacity or both by a public utility to a qualifying facility.(32)
“Scheduled commercial operation date” means the date selected by the qualifying facility on which the qualifying facility intends to be fully operational and reliable and able to commence the sale of energy or energy and capacity to the public utility.(33)
“Small power production facility” means a facility which produces electric energy using as a primary energy source biomass, waste, solar energy, wind power, water power, geothermal energy, or any combination thereof. Only small power production facilities which, with any other facilities located at the same site, have power production capacities of 80 megawatts or less, are covered by these rules.(34)
“Supplementary power” means electric energy or capacity supplied by a public utility, regularly used by a qualifying facility in addition to that which the facility generates itself.(35)
“System emergency” means a condition on a public utility’s system which is likely to result in imminent, significant disruption of service to customers, in imminent danger of life or property, or both.(36)
“Time of delivery” means:(a)
In the case of capacity, when the generation is first on line and capable of meeting the capacity commitment of the qualifying facility to the electric utility under the terms of its contract or other legally enforceable obligation.(b)
In the case of firm energy and depending upon the contract between the parties, either:(A)
When the first kilowatt-hour of energy is able to be delivered under the commitment of the qualifying facility; or(B)
When each kilowatt-hour is delivered under the commitment of the qualifying facility.(37)
“Time the obligation to purchase the energy capacity or energy and capacity is incurred” means the earlier of:(a)
The date on which a binding, written obligation is entered into between a qualifying facility and a public utility to deliver energy, capacity, or energy and capacity; or(b)
The date determined by the Commission.
Source:
Rule 860-029-0010 — Definitions for Division 029 Rules, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=860-029-0010.