20:10:36:45.  Tier 3 interconnection review process. The applicant shall submit a tier 3 application and appropriate fees to the public utility at its designated address. Application forms are available from the commission.

          Within 3 business days of receipt of the application, the public utility shall provide written acknowledgement of receipt and the start date of the review to determine if the application is complete. Within 10 business days of receipt of the application, the public utility shall inform the applicant that the application is either complete or incomplete. In the event the applicant does not receive notification within 10 business days, the applicant may contact the public utility to determine the status of the application. If the application is incomplete, the public utility shall indicate the missing information. If a complete application is not returned to the public utility within 30 days from the date the public utility sends notification to the applicant that the application is incomplete, the application is considered withdrawn.

          If the public utility does not have a record of receipt of the application, the applicant shall provide the public utility with an additional copy of the application. If the applicant can demonstrate that the original completed application was delivered to the public utility, the public utility shall determine if the application is complete or incomplete within 5 business days.

          Once the public utility finds the application is complete, it shall assign the project a queue position. The queue position of each application is used to determine any potential adverse system impacts of the proposed small generator facility based on the relevant screening criteria. The applicant must proceed under the timeframes of this section. The public utility shall schedule a scoping meeting to notify the applicant about other higher-queued applications including FERC interconnection applications on the same radial line or area network to which the applicant is seeking to interconnect.

          Within 20 business days after the public utility notifies the applicant that it has received a completed interconnection request or within a time period mutually agreed to by parties, the public utility shall:

          (1)  Evaluate the application using the tier 3 screening criteria;

          (2)  Review any independent analysis that may be provided by the applicant using the same criteria; and

          (3)  Provide the applicant the results of its review, including a comparison of the results and the independent analysis provided by the applicant, if applicable.

          If in the process of evaluating the interconnection request, the public utility determines that supplemental or clarifying information is required, the public utility shall request the information from the applicant. The time required for the receipt of the additional information may extend the time necessary to complete the review, but only to the extent of the time required for the receipt of the additional information. The public utility may not alter the applicant's queue position.

          Source: 35 SDR 305, effective July 1, 2009.

          General Authority: SDCL 49-34A-27, 49-34A-93.

          Law Implemented: SDCL 49-34A-27, 49-34A-93.