CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of RFP 21-192, Hosting Capacity Study, to CMY Solutions, LLC for an amount not to exceed $160,000
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DEPARTMENT: Electric Utility
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Groth, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
In recent years, the interconnection of distributed energy resources (DER) on the Naperville Electric Utility (Utility) distribution system has continued to grow. For example, the number of photovoltaic (PV) systems, commonly known as rooftop or ground-mounted solar systems, brought online in 2017 was only five. In 2020, that number grew to 208 and, as of March 2021, there were a total of 352 active PV systems with another 41 in the permit queue.
Applications for PV interconnection are currently evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Some basic rules for evaluating whether PV interconnection is allowed have been put in place to ensure that the intermittent nature of solar energy does not adversely impact the local electric grid. Current rules are limiting residential customers to no larger than 10kW, or their highest three-year peak demand, whichever is smaller. While these rules and policies have served the Utility well, they lack a thorough analytical foundation and do not provide a proactive means of validating the impacts on the entire distribution system.
In June 2021, the Utility issued RFP 21-192, Hosting Capacity Study, to contract with a qualified consultant to complete a static hosting capacity study across the entire Naperville Electric Utility 12kV distribution system. The study will analyze the entire 12kV distribution system including all 117 distribution feeders. Best practices will be applied resulting in a detailed written report providing a list of potentially actionable items or policy changes for the Utility to consider.
The result of the study will empower the Utility to make more informed, proactive, and cost-efficient policies as well as plan capital improvements t...
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