Adelman Interconnection Conflict Becomes Formal Complaint to California PUC

The conflict between homeowner Ken Adelman and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) regarding the interconnection of Adelman's 31 kW photovoltaic system became a formal legal dispute when Adelman filed a formal complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission. Now captioned Case No.01-08-013, the complaint is in the hands of an Administrative Law Judge. A prehearing conference was held on September 7, but no formal report from the prehearing conference was immediately available. This case is potentially very significant because it raises important questions about the level of scrutiny that will accompany utility claims regarding distribution system upgrades necessary to interconnect distributed generating facilities, and about how the cost of any such upgrades will be allocated between the owner/operator of the distributed generating facility and the utility's ratepaying customers as a whole.

For updated information on this case, go to the PUC website and search by the case number given above.

Source: Tom Starrs in IREC Interconnection Newsletter 2001.09.17